Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 July 2015
843. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason the Environmental Protection Agency does not appear to have any data or research on the impacts of Cypermethrin in the forestry sector and in the wider environment. [29212/15]
View answerCypermethrin is not currently monitored under the current Water Framework Directive (WFD) monitoring programme and is not listed as a pollutant under the current European Communities Environmental Objectives (Surface Waters) Regulations 2009. However, Cypermethrin is listed in the new Priority Substances Directive 2013/39/EU which is expected to come into force in Irish law later in 2015. Monitoring of Cypermethrin will be required under the Directive by 2018. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently engaged with other stakeholders to revise the National Monitoring Programme that will operate until 2021 and, as part of this process, will ensure that the Programme takes account of the requirements of the new Priority Substances Directive 2013/39/EU.
In anticipation of the monitoring requirements of the new Directive, a 3-year research project, sponsored by EPA and led by DCU, commenced in 2013 with a view to assessing the presence of WFD priority substances in Irish surface waters and in particular, the new pollutants listed under Directive 2013/39/EU. Some sites where Cypermethrin may have had an impact were selected by the EPA for monitoring under the project. The work is ongoing and the final results will be published when complete. Further details are available at the following weblink: http://erc.epa.ie/smartsimple/displayFullProjectDetails.php?internalID=694.
I further understand that Coillte undertook a stakeholder consultation from 20 May until 4 July 2015 in relation to its application to the Forest Stewardship Council for a derogation to continue using Cypermethrin on re-forestation sites in Ireland; the outcome of that public consultation process will be known soon. Further information on this consultation is available at the following link: http://www.coillte.ie/aboutcoillte/about_coillte/fsc_pefc/application_for_cypermethrin_derogation/.
