Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 2 Nov 1999

Vol. 509 No. 6

Written Answers. - Water Pollution.

Martin Brady

Question:

137 Mr. M. Brady asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the position regarding the enforcement of regulations governing the pollution of fisheries, lakes, rivers and streams by slurry, silage, other agricultural effluents, industrial waste and pollutants; the prosecutions which have been brought against alleged offenders in the past three years; the outcomes of those cases; his views on whether the existing law is adequate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21553/99]

Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources (Dr. Woods)

There are a number of agencies involved in the enforcement of water quality protection measures of our fisheries and inland waterways, including the local authorities, the Environmental Protection Agency and the central and regional fisheries boards. These bodies are under the aegis of both my Department and the Department of the Environment and Local Government and a comprehensive array of legislation exists to deal with pollution prevention and incidences that arise.

Under the aegis of my Department the central and regional fisheries boards play a particularly active role in endeavouring to prevent pollution incidents in the first instance and to deal with any events as rapidly as possible when they occur. In this regard the fisheries boards are continually working to improve dialogue and co-operation between the boards, the other State agencies and the farming organisations.

The Central Fisheries Board has provided the following details of prosecutions initiated by the boards for pollution offences during the years 1996, 1997 and 1998.

Prosecutions Initiated for Pollution offences 1998

	Cases initiated 1998	Conviction	Dismissed/Acquitted	Pending
South-Western Board	8	–	–	8
Southern Region	4	8*	0	2
Eastern Region	8	4	0	4
Northern Region	22**	18**	–	3
Shannon Region	11	1	–	10
Western Region	6	4	–	2
North-Western Region	0	0	0	0
Totals	59	35	0	29

*6 cases initiated in 1997 concluded in 1998.

**1 case struck out (no conviction) but costs and expenses awarded.

***1 case initiated in 1997 finalised in 1998.

Prosecutions Initiated for Pollution offences 1997

	Cases initiated 1997	Conviction	Dismissed/Acquitted	Pending
South-Western Board	21	5	0	16
Southern Region	5	Costs and expenses awarded to Board in 2 cases - Judgment reserved in both	0	16
Eastern Region	9	8	0	1
Northern Region	28	27	0	1
Shannon Region	2	0	0	2
Western Region	4	3	0	1
North-Western Region	0	0	0	0
Totals	69	43	0	27

Prosecutions Initiated for Pollution offences 1996

	Cases initiated 1996	Conviction	Dismissed/Acquitted
South-Western Board	15	14	1
Southern Region	7	7	0
Eastern Region	17	17	0
Northern Region	17	17	0
Shannon Region	5	3	2
Western Region	1	1	0
North-Western Region	2	2	0
Totals	64	61	3