Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 June 2016
228. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the measures he is taking to address the pollution of beaches and bays from raw sewage seepage such as that at Doldrum Bay, Howth, and Rush beach, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15661/16]
View answer243. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the action he will take to halt the pumping of raw sewage onto the beach at Doldrum Bay, Howth, County Dublin. [15564/16]
View answer244. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the measures he has taken to tackle the sewage-related pollution that resulted in the closure of the beaches in Rush, Skerries, Balbriggan and Loughshinny in north County Dublin; and how he will ensure that such incidents do not happen in the future. [15569/16]
View answer275. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the action he will take to stop the ongoing pumping of raw sewage into the sea at Rush harbour and beach in County Dublin. [16084/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 228, 243, 244 and 275 together.
I am aware of concerns regarding discharges in north county Dublin. However, neither I nor my Department has any direct role in monitoring or supervising the delivery of water services or any pollution incidents arising therefrom.
Irish 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, encompassing 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) 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 a key statutory body for investigating complaints of pollution and for the enforcement, both directly and through oversight of local authorities, of environmental legislation in Ireland, including compliance in relation to licensed urban waste water discharges. Details of all prosecutions taken by the EPA for pollution incidents and details of its enforcement activities are published on the EPA’s website (http://www.epa.ie/enforcement/).
Referring to the specific issue at Doldrum Bay, I understand that Irish Water has carried out investigative works in order to develop an effective solution to the untreated sewage discharge there. An initial survey was completed in late 2015 and an options report is now under consideration by Irish Water. Any long-term solution to the problem is likely to take some years to put in place between design, planning and construction. The EPA has accordingly asked Irish Water to set out potential measures to be put in place in the interim to address any public health issues arising.
The EPA’s Bathing Water Report for 2015 identifies several bathing waters adjacent to urban areas, particularly those in and around Dublin Bay, as being prone to episodic pollution events and being of less than ‘Good’ water quality status. These pollution events are generally associated with overflows from pumping stations or storm outfalls as a result of sewer network blockages or following heavy rainfall. The EPA report highlights the remedial works planned by Irish Water in relation to Loughshinny and Rush and significant infrastructural investment will be required to reduce the likelihood of recurrence of pollution events in these urban areas.
The imposition of bathing prohibitions by local authorities in the event of discharges or following intense localised rainfall is done with regard to public health on a precautionary principle. All such incidents are reported to the EPA’s wastewater enforcement system and are publicised on the SPLASH website at http://splash.epa.ie/ which is the national bathing water information website for identified bathing waters around Ireland.
