Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 5 Feb 1992

Vol. 415 No. 4

Written Answers. - County Kildare Water Pollution.

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

44 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment if he has responsibility or will so have, in the context of the Environmental Protection Agency, for monitoring the number of pollution incidents in rivers, streams or lakes in County Kildare; if any such incidents have been reported to his Department in recent times; his views on the need to provide capital to the local authorities to eliminate such pollution threats as in the case of insufficiency of sewage treatment facilities in Kilcullen, County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

131 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment if he has responsibility for the provision of the necessary funding to enable Kildare County Council eliminate the pollution of the River Liffey at Kilcullen, County Kildare which is caused by inadequate sewage treatment facilities; whether he expects to make the necessary provision to allow the local authority carry out the remedial works; if he will outline the projected cost and the schedule of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

155 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment the number and location of points at which treated or partially treated sewage is discharged into the River Liffey or tributaries thereof in County Kildare; if his attention has been drawn to the consequences for the domestic water supply arising from this discharge; if his Department is responsible for the capital funding to enable the local authority concerned to rectify such matters; if he will make provision in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

156 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment if, within the context of the Environmental Protection Agency, he expects to have responsibility for the provision of the necessary finance to Kildare County Council to eliminate pollution emanating from inefficient plants such as the one at Kilcullen, County Kildare; if he will outline the likely sources of finance in order that the council may carry out the improvement works necessary; if such finances are likely to be made available in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

159 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment if he has received recommendations or submissions from Kildare County Council incorporating proposals to eliminate water pollution at Kilcullen, County Kildare; if so, if he will outline (1) the nature of the submissions he has received and (2) his proposals or intentions in dealing with the matter; if he expects the case to be resolved in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for the Environment (Dr. O'Hanlon)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 44, 131, 155, 156 and 159 together.

The preliminary report for the Kilcullen sewerage scheme is under consideration in my Department. The purpose of this proposed scheme is to provide for effective elimination of discharges of untreated effluent from the existing sewerage system. A decision on this report will issue shortly. As the proposal is at an early stage of planning, the question of providing funds does not arise at this time. Financing of fully approved schemes under the water and sanitary services programme is provided by my Department.

Details of the number and location of all sewage discharges to the River Liffey and its tributaries are not available in my Department; the main discharges in Kildare are Kilcullen, Ballymore Eustace, Osberstown and Leixlip.

Local authorities are required to monitor surface water sources used for drinking water supplies in accordance with the European Communities (Quality of Surface Water Intended for Abstraction of Drinking Water) Regulations, 1989. As regards environmental monitoring generally, the Environmental Protection Agency Bill, 1990, will confer responsibilities on the new agency for preparing and co-ordinating national environmental monitoring programmes, including specific responsibility for the exercise of general supervision of the environmental monitoring carried out by local authorities.