, Wexford): I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 13, 39, 42, 55 and 82 together.
Groundwater is a major renewable resource which already provides some 25 per cent of drinking water supplies in Ireland. The planning of my Department's water and sanitary services programme is taking increasing account of groundwater potential and the need to protect and maintain high groundwater quality.
A comprehensive statutory control regime is already in place under the Water Pollution Acts to enable local authorities to protect groundwaters from the entry of polluting matter. Discharges of trade and sewage effluents to groundwaters are subject to licensing and there are specific controls to prevent groundwater pollution arising from the discharge of harmful substances. Effluent discharges of List I substances, the most harmful, and any such discharges arising from disposal or tipping operations are prohibited. Substantial powers are available to local authorities to deal with any pollution which may arise.
Septic tank pollution is a common threat to groundwaters. Revised standard recommendations for septic tank systems, drawn up by the National Standards Authority of Ireland, were notified to all planning and sanitary authorities in 1992, with the request to have regard to these recommendations in operating planning control.
As regards landfill sites, there are longstanding guidelines from my Department to local authorities on selection, management and operational aspects. Further requirements on landfill, which are being developed at EC level, are likely to include more stringent controls on landfill practice and national waste disposal policy is being adopted in line with these prospective requirements. The Environmental Protection Agency will have a statutory role in determining criteria and procedures for landfill site selection, management and operation, and in supervising the monitoring of sites by local authorities. In addition, I intend that new waste legislation, currently in preparation, will provide further controls on landfill operations.