Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 October 2019
490. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his Department has dealt with proposals to treat the entire sewerage intake for the eastern region and release as sludge into Lough Ennell, County Westmeath. [42937/19]
View answerInland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is the agency of my Department with the statutory remit for the conservation, protection and development of the inland fisheries resource. The involvement of IFI in the matter referred to by the Deputy is confined to that remit. I understand that Irish Water has overall responsibility for proposals to develop sewage sludge hubs and for compliance with relevant EU and domestic legislation in this regard. IFI was consulted as a notice party by Irish Water in relation to its preliminary plans for the development referred to in the Question.
IFI has already made a submission at the strategic environmental assessment scoping report stage carried out on behalf of Irish Water. This submission identified key issues from a fisheries perspective, principally:
- Water Quality,
- Fish Spawning and Nursery Areas,
- Ecosystem Structure and Functioning,
- Sport, Commercial Fishing and Angling,
- Amenity and Recreational Areas.
IFI also recommended that consideration should be given to watercourses outside formal EU designation which may hold species that are designated under the European Habitats Directive such as salmon and lamprey.IFI has recently received additional proposals from Irish Water and I am advised that a further submission will be prepared on all relevant fisheries related concerns and issues in connection with the proposed hubs in the study area.
