Vol. 497 No. 1
29 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his Department has been in contact with the various local authorities with a view to identifying the areas presenting the most serious pollution threat to water courses; if sufficient funds will be made available to the local authorities to alleviate the threat of pollution for outdated sewage treatment plants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24137/98]
Statutory responsibility for water management and protection, including responsibility for monitoring water quality, rests primarily with local authorities. The Environmental Protection Agency is also responsible in so far as activities licensable by the agency are concerned and as part of its overall responsibility for the preparation and implementation of environmental monitoring programmes, and for the creation and maintenance of databases of information on the environment.
The EPA water quality report for 1991-94 indicates that the bulk of Irish surface waters are of good quality. The report draws attention to a growing tendency towards eutrophication, that is, the enrichment of waters beyond natural levels by nutrients, mainly phosphorous. The EPA, which will publish an updated report this year, identifies the main sources of pollution by phosphorous as agriculture, sewage discharges and discharges from industry. In 1997, my Department published a comprehensive national strategy —Managing Ireland's Rivers and Lakes— to tackle eutrophication. A copy is available in the Oireachtas Library. It is a matter for the relevant local authorities to identify the sources of water pollution in their particular areas and to initiate appropriate remedial action.
A major investment programme is under way to improve sewage treatment and collection facilities. Since 1994, over £258 million has been spent on major public sewerage schemes. A further £185 million has been provided in my Department's 1998 water and sewerage services investment programme which, inter alia, will fund the improvement and expansion of sewage treatment and collection infrastructure. The programme will be significantly expanded in 1999 as a result of the capital provision of £268 million included in my Departments Estimates for 1999 — an increase of 45 per cent.
