Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 April 2016
457. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the measures in place to prevent incidents of pollution by Irish Water; how stringent are these measures; how often the implementation of these measures are inspected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7342/16]
View answerIrish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels for public water services including the delivery of water services capital infrastructure, including the management of urban waste water collection and treatment infrastructure. All discharges to the aquatic environment from sewerage systems owned, managed and operated by Irish Water require a waste water discharge licence or certificate of authorisation from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Irish Water is required to apply to the EPA for a licence or certificate of authorisation and the authorisation process provides for the EPA to place stringent conditions on the operation of such discharges to ensure that potential effects on the receiving water bodies are strictly limited and controlled.
The EPA is also the statutory body for investigating complaints of pollution and for the enforcement of environmental legislation in Ireland. Details of all prosecutions taken by the Agency for pollution incidents and details of the Agency’s enforcement activities are published on the Agency’s website (www.epa.ie). Neither I, nor my Department, have any role in monitoring or supervising the delivery of water services or any pollution incidents arising therefrom.
