Mary Harney
Question:20 Miss Harney asked the Minister for the Environment the action, if any, he has taken to date to implement EC Directive, 78/659/EEC; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - EC Directive Implementation.
EC Directive 78/659/EEC is implemented in Ireland by the European Communities (Quality of Salmonid Waters) Regulations, 1988. These regulations prescribe quality standards for salmonid water and designate the waters to which they apply, together with the sampling programmes and the methods of analysis and inspection to be used. Local authorities carry out sampling as required on the 33 rivers and tributaries designated.
In the event of any non-compliance with the standards set in the regulations, the local authority concerned is obliged to establish the reasons and adopt an action programme to reduce pollution and to ensure that the standards are compiled with. The Directive allows member states to make additional designations or to revise designations owing to factors unforeseen at the time of designation. My Department is at present considering the possibility of designating further waters to which the Directive's requirements would be applied.