Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 30 May 2001

Vol. 537 No. 3

Written Answers. - Inland Waterways.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

198 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the extent to which he proposes to introduce positive inducements to deter pollution of waterways, such as rivers, streams and canals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16302/01]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government (Mr. D. Wallace)

Eutrophication, or over-enrichment, which is caused mainly by excess inputs of phosphorus from various sources, is the main threat to Irish water quality. Agriculture has been identified as the single biggest contributor in this regard accounting for 73% of total phosphorus inputs. Significant inputs also arise from sewage discharges and from industry.

Since 1997, my Department has been pursuing a comprehensive, integrated strategy to tackle all sources of eutrophication. Major catchment-based projects for the establishment of water quality monitoring and management systems are well under way, or nearing completion, in relation to Loughs Derg and Ree, Lough Leane and the Rivers Boyne, Liffey and Suir. Substantial investment, of more than £160 million, is also being made in sewage infrastructure in these catchments. The strategy is underpinned by the Local Government (Water Pollution) Act, 1977 (Water Quality Standards for Phosphorus) Regulations, 1998, which set clear targets for reducing phosphorus levels in rivers and lakes by end 2007.

For purposes of implementing the EU Water Framework Directive, my Department is now promoting the establishment by local authorities of river basin management projects to address water management in all inland and coastal waters, including groundwaters, and all sources of water pollution. Some £50 million is being assigned by my Department to support local authority expenditure on River Basin Management projects with financial support at a rate of 100%. A river basin management project for the south-east has been approved in principle, and I expect similar projects to address inland and coastal waters in all other areas will be approved during the current year. This comprehensive approach is being supported by my Department's major investment programme in sewage infrastructure facilities throughout the country.

The National Development Plan 2000-2006 provides for capital investment of almost £3 billion, the major portion of which will be devoted to waste water infrastructure. The investment programme places particular emphasis on the provision of phosphorus reduction facilities where a need is indicated in this regard. Discharges to waters from industrial sources are subject to licensing controls operated by local authorities and the EPA. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development has substantial initiatives under way to tackle phosphorus inputs from agriculture, including the rural environment protection scheme and the farm waste management scheme. A voluntary agreement has been concluded with the Irish Detergents and Allied Products Association which provides for an incremental move to zero-phosphate domestic laundry detergents by IDAPA members. The agreement sets targets of 55% by end June 2000, 90% by end 2001 and 95% by end 2002. The June 2000 target has been met.

Additional protection against pollution of waters by nitrates will be provided by action programmes to be developed in relation to those areas where the levels of nitrates in groundwaters are approaching or exceeding the limits set by European legislation. As I indicated in a public statement in July 2000, the affected waters are located in counties Carlow, Cork, Kerry, Louth and Waterford. Work is under way on the identification of the catchments related to these waters and, on its completion, I will formally designate the appropriate areas as nitrate vulnerable zones (NVZs). The voluntary Code of Good Agricultural Practice to Protect Waters from Pollution by Nitrates (the blue book issued in 1996) will become mandatory in an NVZ. A primary consideration will be the management of manures and slurries.

My Department provides grant support to an Taisce annually for administration of the blue flag scheme, which has become a symbol throughout Europe of clean bathing water. There has been a steady improvement in Irish bathing water quality throughout the 1990s and a recent report of the European Commission indicates that the results for monitoring of bathing water quality in Ireland in 2000 are among the best in Europe. The compliance rate for mandatory values for bathing water quality in 2000 was 98% and 100% in coastal zones and freshwater zones, respectively.