Vol. 473 No. 4
28 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for the Environment if he is concerned at the number of beaches and coves which do not conform to the standards required for the EU blue flag status; and the plans, if any, he has to improve the situation in a significant manner. [22069/96]
Ireland's record on blue flag awards to beaches compares very favourably with the rest of Europe. Statistics compiled by the Foundation for Environmental Education in Europe — FEEE — which operates the scheme, indicate that 50 per cent of Irish beaches were awarded blue flags in 1996 compared to the European average of only 12 per cent. The next most successful country was Portugal, where 34 per cent of beaches obtained blue flags.
The criteria for the award of blue flags are determined by FEEE and relate to water quality, facilities for visitors, beach management, including litter control, environmental information and display facilities. As far as water quality is concerned, FEEE seeks to emphasise and recognise bathing areas achieving standards of excellence, assessed on the basis of guide values for certain parameters contained in the Directive on the Quality of Bathing Water. These values are up to 20 times more stringent than the mandatory standards set in the directive.
Applications for blue flags are usually made by local authorities and it is primarily a matter for them to ensure that the criteria for beach management and water quality are satisfied. Major investment in sewage treatment facilities will support local authorities in making successful applications. In addition, extensive environmental control powers are available to local authorities to deal with activities which may compromise their ability to observe the criteria.
It is only natural that, because of our isolated location, many of our beaches are unpolluted. However, 50 per cent of them have not passed the test, although we have the best record in Europe. Has the Minister any intention of raising the capital allocation to local authorities for sewage treatment plants of the type he mentioned, because this is the cause of the problems which adversely affect our tourism industry? Has the Minister plans to eliminate the pollution that exists at a number of our major holiday resorts and beaches?
Fifty per cent of our beaches meet the stringent requirements to get a blue flag, but that is not to suggest that the other 50 per cent are polluted. There are a number of reasons for beaches failing to meet the requirements. It may be that they do not have sufficient monitoring, that it is not frequent enough, that the facilities for the visitor are inadequate or that there is inadequate display of signage relating to facilities and the local eco systems. A range of criteria must be met, apart from the pollution criteria. It is heartening to know that we have the most unpolluted beaches in Europe. It is also heartening to know that between now and the year 2005 — the operational date for the waste water directive — we will be expending £1.3 billion on sewage infrastructure here.
Also of note, and important for us to recognise, is that no area of the Irish coastal zone has been designated by this Government or the previous Government as less sensitive and requiring only primary treatment. All the new sewage plant will be to at least secondary or secondary plus standard. This is not the case in the United Kingdom, stretches of whose coastline have been designated as less sensitive. The investment programme I have indicated means that by the year 2005 we will have the best and cleanest coastal zones in Europe.
I am very pleased with the statistics that the Minister has related. Is he satisfied that the country as a whole is benefiting sufficiently in the context of tourism from the fact that such a high percentage of our beaches have blue flags? Regarding the 50 per cent of beaches which were turned down for blue flags, the quality of the bathing water was one of the most important features, particularly on the east coast. Is the Minister satisfied that coastal county councils are doing enough and that the Government and the EU will have the money to provide treatment plants to bring bathing water up to the required standard?
I have indicated that an investment programme of £1.3 billion has been earmarked to bring all our coastal zones up to the standards that will be required in the year 2005 under the European directive. We are well advanced in investing huge sums of money for sewage treatment and management. That programme is continuing. I believe that the very major investment that will be required in Dublin will be forthcoming and that areas like north Dublin can link into the secondary treatment facilities that will be coming on stream so that every citizen, especially those on the east coast, will continue to enjoy very high quality bathing waters and can look forward, as this infrastructure is put in place, to even better quality bathing water in the future.
Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.
