asked the Minister for the Marine the analyses which have been carried out in the Breagagh River and the Nore River arising from a spillage of polychlorobiphenyls in 1980; the conclusions of these analyses; the recommendations which were made by his Department to the regional fisheries board, the health board and the local authority; and whether fish from these rivers are safe for human consumption.
Written Answers. - Chemical Spillage in Rivers.
40.
As the Deputy is aware the spillage occurred in 1980.
Developments in relation to the spillage have been outlined to the House on a number of previous occasions and in this regard I would refer the Deputy to the replies given to parliamentary questions by my predecessor on 18 February 1988 and 21 June 1988 and by the Minister for the Environment on 3 February 1988.
The general environmental and health aspects of the matter lie within the remit of the local authority and health board concerned. The Fisheries Research Centre of my Department have carried out a number of analyses of samples of eels, trout and sediment from the rivers in question at the request of those bodies and the results have been communicated to them. It is for those bodies to assess and act on general environmental and human health implications.
As regards the fishery dimensions which is my primary concern in the matter, there is no evidence that any fish mortalities have occurred as a result of the spillage in question or that there is any threat to fish life.