Seanad Éireann debate -
Thursday, 27 Oct 1994

Vol. 141 No. 5

Adjournment Matters. - Lough Derg Water Quality.

Mrs. Taylor-Quinn

I am deeply indebted to you, a Chathaoirligh, for affording me the opportunity, two evenings running, of raising a matter on the Adjournment. I welcome the Minister and appreciate the fact that he has come straight from the Dáil, where he was answering questions, to respond to this important matter. It is a matter of mutual interest to us both because I am in County Clare and the Minister is in North Tipperary.

We are dealing with the quality of water in Lough Derg, one of the largest lakes in the Republic, which is a major national resource both as a source of public water supply as well as for tourism, recreational and leisure purposes. The importance of Lough Derg nationally and to County Clare in particular cannot be overestimated. Unfortunately, in recent years, and particularly over the past 12 years, the quality of water in Lough Derg has deteriorated.

I appreciate the fact that a water quality report was undertaken by the Department of the Environment and Teagasc to establish exactly what the causes were as well as to try to arrest the situation and improve the current position. I am delighted that that report has been published and that specific recommendations have been made which local authorities in the area are proceeding to adopt. Clare County Council has adopted the main thrust of the report and has basically accepted its guidelines. As a result of that we hope to arrest the situation and improve the quality of water in Lough Derg.

It is important to state that all is not dead in Lough Derg. I would not like it to emanate from here or anywhere else that there is a crisis.

Minister for the Environment (Mr. M. Smith)

Right.

Mrs. Taylor-Quinn

There is a crisis but it is manageable and that is important. Lough Derg is a magnificent facility, given that high water quality is a factor in increasing demand. For tourism purposes it is important that we improve the existing quality of our water supplies and that is why I have raised this issue here. To improve the quality of Lough Derg we need the support of the Minister, the Government and Europe.

The Minister is aware that a submission has been made to his Department recently by Clare County Council. In Clare we acknowledge that quite a lot of the pollution in Lough Derg occurs upstream outside the area under our own immediate control. Nevertheless, in our area we have responsibilities and Clare County Council is a contributor to the pollution of Lough Derg. An area of particular concern to the local authority is Killaloe, a town which requires a proper sewerage scheme. Proposals have been put to the Department of the Environment for £1.997 million for this scheme which is No. 2 in band 1 of our priority list in County Clare. We are anxious that consideration should be given to that.

Another important area is ScariffTuamgraney, where there are great difficulties. A submission has been made to the Department for grant aid for a scheme there, in addition to Whitegate where a small amount of money — about £100,000 — is required. You may ask why we are so concerned about this. You can appreciate that in Clare the local authority has statutory responsibilities to impose environmental legislation on those who are breaking environmental laws by creating pollution. Clare County Council cannot do this with credibility if it is a major contributor to pollution itself.

This is the case with many other local authorities throughout the country. Much of the pollution occurring in waterways emanates from the municipal discharges of various towns and villages under local authority jurisdiction. However, in order to be in a position to enforce the laws one should not be an offender.

The Minister should look seriously at the situation of Lough Derg, but the wider scale of pollution emanating from the industrial sector is another area that needs to be addressed. Negotiations must be conducted between the Minister's Department and the various industries involved which have been identified in the report as major polluters of Lough Derg. Equally, difficulties are arising with Bord na Móna in relation to the necessity to contain peat discharges. All these factors must be addressed.

There is also a problem from the agricultural sector. The report shows that there is an overuse of fertilisers resulting in fertilisers entering the water and creating root growth on the bed of the lake as well as algae growth, which is causing the difficulty. It is a monumental task to address. I believe, however, that it is manageable. I urge the Minister to deal with the aspects concerning County Clare.

A very definite submission was made by Clare County Council to the Minister for the Environment dealing with Killaloe, Scariff and Whitegate on Lough Derg. It is important to address this issue. The Shannon Task Force issued a report recently. This is not within the Minister's ambit. However, they recommended a large scale activity holiday centre on the shores of Lough Derg. This is to be based on the centre parks model in the UK and would cater for up to 1,000 overseas visitors providing self-catering accommodation and a wide range of activities. There would also be an indoor element with an all weather attraction.

Lough Derg is a magnificent area surrounded by beautiful scenery and with much potential. The bottom line is job creation and keeping people in their respective areas by providing employment for them at home. We need to do that more often because there is a job crisis in this country. Everything we do should be with a view to creating more employment. This is an opportunity to create more employment in tourism with a wide range of projects. If the Minister adopts the right strategy and co-operates with the local authorities involved, particularly Clare County Council, this can go from strength to strength and we will see improvements coming on stream very quickly.

I thank the Minister for attending this evening. I know he is very busy and I appreciate his attendance. I also thank you, a Chathaoirligh, for again allowing me the opportunity to raise a matter on the Adjournment.

Minister for the Environment (Mr. M. Smith)

I thank you, a Chathaoirligh, for remaining on. Knowing how vulnerable I am to attack from across the Shannon, I need all the support I can get from somebody living on the Shannon.

An Cathaoirleach

It seemed to me that we had a tour of east Clare this evening.

Mrs. Taylor-Quinn

I forgot to mention that we will be looking for water from north Tipperary in Killaloe.

Mr. M. Smith

I liked the sensitivity of Senator Taylor-Quinn's contribution. There are unfortunate aspects to some of the publicity attaching to Lough Derg. Emotive terms such as "toxic" and "dead" are used. These are not only untrue but do enormous damage to the investment which has been and will continue to be made in tourism and other developments in that beautiful part of Ireland.

We will not go into the history. The report, as the Senator said, demonstrated that the lake itself was highly trophic. The main concentration of problems related to agriculture and the lack of final treatment of sewage as well as a mixture of industry detergent, peat silt and a lack of pump out and other facilities for cruisers. Each one of those has to be attacked in turn.

We have spent in the region of £20 million in the last couple of years in Ballina, Athlone and Castletroy. We now have to intensify that programme in the light of this information. A range of areas will be covered in south Offaly, north Tipperary, Westmeath and back down to the Clare border.

In the context of this proposal the two mentioned in Clare are Scariff and Killaloe. This forms an integrated proposal. It is not possible to pick out one because there are strict criteria for drawing down Cohesion Funds which I have to meet by combining a number of considerations. I am anxious to ensure that those two schemes proceed in tandem with the work on the total Lough Derg catchment area. The Senator also mentioned Whitegate. This is quite a small scheme which will probably have to be carried out in the context of village renewal. I will examine it.

On the other side of the problem, the Department of Agriculture has introduced the rural environment protection scheme. It is hoped that farmers will participate and help deal with the reduction of fertiliser use, management of waste, spreading of slurry and other contentious issues which create problems for the environment at particular times of the year. A new scheme for the control of farmyard pollution is being introduced and is specifically designed to help smaller farmers who were unable to avail of the previous schemes.

There are ongoing negotiations with industry on non-phosphate detergents. From a standing start in 1988, the detergent market now has a 40 per cent non-phosphate content and we have to keep building on that. There are a number of areas along the Shannon which have pump out facilities but they are still needed in Portumna and other places. This will be done in tandem with the scheme.

In the final analysis there is a united community around the lake comprised of people who have invested in hotels and self catering facilities, to which the Senator referred, and in cruisers. Public funds have also been devoted to the enhancement of that facility as it links with the Ballyconnell canal and the Erne catchment. That is one side of the equation.

There is an all out attempt in terms of resources at both domestic and EU level to make sure that we come to grips with a problem we have inherited. This problem will not be solved overnight, but the public can be confident that it is being addressed in a comprehensive and successful way.

I appreciate the fact that in dealing with such an emotive question Senator Taylor-Quinn was conscious of the detrimental effect some of the publicity which attached to this lake has had. We can say that we have a rescue plan and that we are working on it. It would be different if these attacks were being made in circumstances where one did not have solutions or one was not prepared to listen.

While it may be a long haul, we will see not only an improvement in the quality of the water in the lake but an ultimate solution to the problem with the co-operation of everybody concerned. The provision of these facilities will deal with water quality problems and contribute to a better understanding of the environment in the agri-sector. Places such as Killaloe, Scariff and Whitegate while availing of these schemes can also develop in their own right. The scheme does not only deal with water quality. It also allows for other developments, including hotels and other facilities which would be restricted under the current planning codes.

As you know, a Chathaoirligh. I am happy to return to the Seanad at any time.

Mrs. Taylor-Quinn

Tell Senator O'Kennedy that.

Mr. M. Smith

It was a happy hunting ground for me at a stage when I found it difficult to survive in politics. A throbbing reminder of those years at any time is always good for the soul.

The Seanad adjourned at 4.30 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday 2 November, 1994.