John Ellis
Question:152 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the monitoring services, if any, being carried out regarding the effects of afforestation on water courses in the country. [6886/95]
Written Answers. - Water Quality.
My Department funds investigations by Coillte into the effects of forestry on water quality.
As part of its overall policy to ensure that forestry development is compatible with the protection of the environment, my Department produced Guidelines on Forestry and Fisheries in 1992, with input from the Central Fisheries Board. These provide for controls on forestry development near water courses compliance with which is a condition of grant aid. Contact is maintained between the Department, Fisheries Boards, Department of the Marine and Coillte in relation to the testing, assessment and designation of catchment areas for the purposes of these guidelines.