asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries when he will make his promised statement on the recent serious loss of all types of fish in the River Blackwater.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - River Blackwater Fish Mortality.
14.
I have in fact issued a statement in this matter; copies are available as from today in the Library of the House for information of Deputies.
I happen to know that a statement was issued last night in this regard but in view of the ministerial statements that have been made in this House lately involving the Minister for Lands, the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries and, indeed, the Minister for Local Government, bringing local authorities into it, would the Minister say if any serious attempt is being made to tackle this serious problem in an urgent way?
The fact of the matter is that if we go back seven, eight or nine years we find that long before there were any instances of mortality, such as that which we have experienced in the Blackwater this year, the Department of Local Government were having studies initiated. These reflected themselves in the structure of An Foras Forbartha as they were later set up An Foras Forbartha are now under the Minister for Local Government, and they are taking what steps they can to try to clarify for all of us concerned what we should do and how it should be done. But, as my statement which is available indicates and as everybody who has an interest in this matter is, I think, well aware, this is not a simple matter to deal with nor will it be a matter that can be dealt with without quite a large input of capital whether to cure existing pollution or to prevent pollution in future. There is no ready answer to it. If in the future season we get a combination of circumstances on any river or water such as we got on the Blackwater this year, these things will not be easily got over and will not be got over cheaply in whatever time we get over them, if we ever do get over them.
I appreciate fully the answer the Minister has given me but what I and many people who are very interested in this problem fear is——
Has the Deputy a question?
Would the Minister say if some Minister of the Government will take full responsibility for this and not have it spread out practically over the entire Cabinet?
As I say, at this stage, in so far as what can usefully be done and is being done, An Foras Forbartha have been making whatever running there is in this matter. Perhaps it is the Minister for Local Government, in a general sense, who might be pursued further on this matter—not that I am passing the question on to him, but I think this is so.
The Minister for Local Government says that it is the local sanitary authority who has the responsibility.
No.
It is part and parcel of the administration.
It is very complex.
I agree—that is true— and it involves so many.