Vol. 492 No. 7
250 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the plans, if any, his Department has to bring forward measures to tackle the issue of water pollution along the lines of the anti-litter initiative which was launched recently by the Minister of State at his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15084/98]
Statutory responsibility for water management and protection, including responsibility for monitoring water quality, rests primarily with local authorities. The EPA is also responsible in so far as activities licensable by the agency are concerned.
I refer to the replies to Questions Nos. 28 of 6 May 1998 and No. 12 of 10 June 1998 concerning steps I have taken in regard to the intensification, by local authorities, of efforts to prevent and deal with pollution of our inland waterways through the implementation of the full range of statutory powers available to the authorities. The above mentioned replies also provide details of my Department's comprehensive Catchment-Based Strategy Against Eutrophication Managing Ireland's Rivers and Lakes which aims to prevent any further decline in water quality and restore waters currently affected by pollution. A copy of the strategy is available in the Oireachtas Library.
