Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 May 2004
135 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources when he expects the groundwater protection scheme to be completed in view of the fact that the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government calls the scheme a critical element in his draft guidelines for sustainable rural development, although only 11 countries have been completed. [16107/04]
View answerTo date the Geological Survey of Ireland's groundwater section has completed groundwater protection schemes for the following 15 counties or portions thereof: Clare; Donegal — submitted in draft, under review by the county council; Cork — southern Division; Kildare; Kilkenny; Laois; Limerick; north Tipperary; Meath; Monaghan; Offaly; Roscommon; south Tipperary; Waterford; Wicklow. For the present, work on the remaining 12 counties, plus the remaining part of County Cork, has been deferred pending completion of the GSI's input to the river basin district management projects which are currently under way or about to begin. However, work is proceeding on delineating source protection areas in Offaly and Fingal. The work on the RBD projects will also contribute to the eventual completion of the remaining groundwater protection schemes when they are taken up, probably in 2005-06.
GSI lost one of its three senior hydrogeologists last year through resignation but is about to recruit a further three permanent staff to strengthen the capacity of the groundwater section, with a view to recommencing work on the groundwater protection schemes as soon as practicable. The GSI is in close and regular liaison with the relevant sections of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
