Vol. 398 No. 8
15 Tomás Mac Giolla asked the Minister for the Marine the total number of fish kills in rivers or lakes reported to his Department during 1989; the estimated number of fish killed in these incidents; the cost of restocking; the number of cases where prosecutions were taken; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
One hundred and eleven fish kills were recorded by my Department in 1989, accounting for the death of in excess of 35,000 fish. Estimates of the cost of restocking are not available.
I am informed that legal proceedings were instituted in 27 cases.
My Department have published a very informative report on fish kills in 1989 and I am arranging to let the Deputy have a copy.
While the 1989 figures show an increase of 61 over 1988 this was largely accounted for by the exceptionally dry weather conditions obtaining during last year which gave rise to very low water levels throughout the summer period. The total number of fish kills was down however on the 122 recorded in 1987. A pleasing feature of the returns was that fish kills due to agricultural causes were well down over the 1987 figures — 26 as against 95.
I would like to take the opportunity to express my appreciation of the efforts of all those who in any way contributed to minimising the number of pollution incidents involving fish kills. In this regard I would like to pay a special tribute to the staff of the various fisheries boards for their unstinting efforts in the fight against pollution.
Having regard to the large number of fish killed in our rivers last summer and to the fact that we are entering what we might call fish kill season once again, with reports of fish kills in our rivers and lakes already beginning to appear, would the Minister use his good offices to urge his colleague, the Minister for the Environment, to expedite the new Water Pollution Bill? Would the Minister also say if he has received any communication or observations from any of the individual regional fisheries boards or the Central Fisheries Board on the Water Pollution Bill and the measures contained therein and if he has communicated these to the Minister for the Environment?
I accept, as the Deputy has said, that we are entering the season again where this can be a problem. With regard to the Water Pollution Bill, the Minister has informed me, as late as lunch time, that he is pressing ahead as fast as possible with that Bill. I have received the comments of the fisheries board and have transferred these to the Minister for the Environment.
Perhaps a final question from Deputy Gilmore as I want to make progress on other questions also if I can.
Has the Minister established whether it is the Minister for the Environment's intention to incorporate those observations in the Water Pollution Bill which is at present before the Dáil by way of amendment?
The Deputy has raised a particular matter in referring to that Bill.
If memory serves me correctly, the implementation of legislation as much as the substance of legislation were the subject matters of the communications I got and which I have referred to.
