Vol. 519 No. 7
38 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government when it is intended to extend the catchment management strategy to all rivers and waterways in the State, having regard to the continuing levels of pollution and fish kills; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14711/00]
In December 1999 my Department advised local authorities that financial assistance at a rate of up to 85% would be available in the context of the National Development Plan 2000-2006 to support expenditure on projects to develop catchment-based water monitoring and management systems on an inter-authority basis. The establishment of such projects by local authorities is being actively promoted by my Department, with the objective of having projects established in the short to medium term to address all sources of pollution in all inland and coastal waters, including groundwaters.
The proposed new projects will build on the major, catchment-based, water quality projects already under way in relation to loughs Derg, Ree and Leane and the rivers Boyne, Liffey and Suir in the context of the national strategy being pursued by my Department since 1997 to combat eutrophication in rivers and lakes due to excess inputs of phosphorus.
