Michael Joe Cosgrave
Question:87 Mr. Cosgrave asked the Minister for the Marine if he will outline the procedures which apply where raw sewage is to be dumped following treatment at Ringsend.
Written Answers. - Sewage Disposal.
Michael Joe Cosgrave
Question:88 Mr. Cosgrave asked the Minister for the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the dumping of sewage off the coast of Howth, County Dublin; and if he will have this matter investigated.
Michael Joe Cosgrave
Question:89 Mr. Cosgrave asked the Minister for the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the fact that sewage has been dumped off the Dalkey coastline; if he has satisfied himself that the coastline and waters near the shore will not be affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Michael Joe Cosgrave
Question:90 Mr. Cosgrave asked the Minister for the Marine if he will outline the periodic testing of waters which is carried out where sewage is being disposed; and if he satisfied himself with the present procedures.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 87 to 90, inclusive, together. Sewage sludge from the Dublin Corporation treatment plant at Ringsend is dumped at sea in accordance with a permit granted by the Minister for the Marine under the Dumping at Sea Act, 1981. The terms and conditions of the permit govern dumping and monitoring and are reviewed annually by my Department.
At the beginning of this month the authorised dump site was relocated from its previous location two miles off Howth Head to a new site further offshore. It is intended that the new site, which is located some ten miles from the nearest coast, will receive about 300,000 tonnes of sewage sludge per annum until the dumping of sewage sludge at sea is phased out completely by 1998 in accordance with the Government's environment action programme.
The old and new dump sites have been carefully monitored and studied. The report of a study of the dump site off Howth Head, published by my Department in 1989, revealed a degree of localised fauna enrichment in the vicinity of the site but indicated that conditions on the sea floor had not deteriorated since 1983 when the last study was undertaken. The new site was chosen as the most suitable of a number of sites following extensive scientific studies. The report of the first phase of a four phase study to select a new site was published last year and I understand that the phases 2 and 3 reports will be made available shortly. All studies were undertaken on behalf of my Department and funded by Dublin Corporation. In addition, the sludge itself has been and continues to be subject to regular and detailed analyses to ensure the protection of the marine environment in the vicinities of the dump sites.