Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 December 2014
567. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which river or waterway pollution has been reported or detected in each of the past four years to date in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46353/14]
View answerThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), local authorities, Inland Fisheries Ireland and the Marine Institute monitor rivers, lakes, transitional/coastal waters and groundwater quality under the Water Framework Directive on a three-year cycle. This extensive monitoring programme provides a good overview of current water quality and trends as they develop. It is understood from the Environmental Protection Agency, that in the monitoring period up to 2012, rivers and groundwaters have shown a slight improvement, lake waters have shown a slight disimprovement, while transitional and coastal waters generally remained stable. There has been a notable decline in the incidence of serious pollution events in rivers from 39 sites in the 2004-2006 period, to 20 sites in the 2007-2009 period and currently down to 11 sites. However, the period has also been marked by a steady decline in the number of river sites at the highest ecological status. The EPA's 3-yearly comprehensive report on water quality for the 2010-2012 period will be available by the end of December 2014. Results for 2013 and 2014 are expected to be made available in early 2015.
The EPA and local authorities respond to water quality incidents and complaints on an on-going basis. Details of recent incidents are available on the EPA website, www.epa.ie.
