Deputy Connor had given me notice of his intention to raise the need to make new regulations to protect fisheries such as the River Lung, County Roscommon, from acts of destruction, such as the major fish kill recently on the river.
Adjournment Debate. - River Lung (Roscommon) Fisheries.
A Cheann Comhairle, since Deputy Connor is not in the House at present and as he and I were to speak on this subject, perhaps I can take his place if that is permissible.
I am aware, and was notified earlier today, that it was Deputy Connor's intention to share time with Deputy Tom Foxe. It is not usual to select a Member other than the Member who tabled such a motion. However, as the Deputy was to have been heard this evening on this subject and as the Minister of State is present, perhaps the House will agree to permit the Deputy to make his comments since he has the concurrence and approval of the Deputy who is unavoidably absent to share time with him. Is that satisfactory? Agreed.
I appreciate that gesture, a Cheann Comhairle, and am pleased to see the Minister of State present.
I wish to raise the very serious matter of the pollution of the Lung River in North Roscommon last week when, one morning, thousands of fish were discovered in the river, belly up. The extent of the pollution was not realised at first but, as time went on, it became apparent that seven miles of the river had been very seriously polluted.
The Department of the Environment, the fisheries board and Roscommon County Council, the people involved with the local environment, have taken tests of the water the results of which have not yet come to hand. Consequently, no person or persons can be pointed to as being the culprits of this pollution. However, in the locality it is estimated that there were three possible sources of pollution on this occasion. The first arises from farmyard activity, another from factory waste and a third from the town sewerage system.
I know the farming scene in that area and in my opinion if all the farms were put together they could not possibly have caused the pollution that has become apparent in the river during the past few days. That rules out the possibility of farmyard activity causing the pollution.
In regard to factory waste, the factory management has spent enormous sums of money on upgrading its treatment plant in recent years. This seems to indicate that the pollution did not arise from that source. That leaves only the town sewerage system, which was put in place 30 years ago. In May 1993 Roscommon County Council submitted plans to the Department of the Environment for the upgrading of the existing sewerage system in Ballaghaderreen and also to cater for double the capacity of the present plant, bearing in mind that the population of the town has increased dramatically in the past 30 years. However, the Department of the Environment did not accede to that request and today there has been severe pollution of the river.
To make matters worse, an inter-provincial fishing competition organised for next weekend has had to be cancelled. That very prestigious fishing competition has been sought after for the past four years by the fishing folk of Ballaghaderreen. This year they thought they were lucky in having it come to the shores of the Lung River but unfortunately it has had to be cancelled. I understand that without any further pollution it will take a minimum of two years before the river will be restored to its former state. The answer to this problem may lie in the hands of the Department of the Environment who can provide the funds for the total replacement of the sewage treatment plant in Ballaghaderreen.
I thank you, a Cheann Comhairle, and I look forward to the Minister's reply.
, (Wexford): I thank Deputies Connor and Foxe for raising this matter. Summer months represent the peak risk period for our rivers and lakes when water levels are generally low and when accidental spillages, if they should occur, will have their greatest impact. The River Lung incident is an unfortunate reminder of the need for extreme vigilance in relation to the discharge of effluents to rivers and lakes.
While documentation on the circumstances of the River Lung incident has yet to be completed. I understand that the fish kill is thought to have occurred late on the night of Wednesday, 15 June. The incident was reported to both the Shannon Regional Fisheries Board and Roscommon County Council on Thursday morning, 16 June, and the council and the fisheries board immediately commenced investigations. Estimates of the number of fish killed range up to 10,000 — mainly roach and bream — over a seven mile stretch of the river.
On being made aware of the incident we immediately requested the Environmental Protection Agency to investigate the causes and circumstances and make a report. Investigation by all of the agencies concerned is still continuing and full analysis will take a few more days. I expect the Environmental Protection Agency to complete its report very shortly.
While fish kills represent a serious ecological loss, the numbers of such kills has been falling steadily in recent years. In 1987 there were 122 fish kills and in 1989, 111. This fell to 60 in 1991, 51 in 1992 and 29 in 1993. The numbers reported to date in 1994 are also very low — some five or six.
A very gratifying feature of this overall trend is the decline in the level of fish kills caused by farm-related activities which traditionally were the main cause of fish kills. These fell from 95 in 1987 to an all time low of three in 1993. This fall can be attributed to the thousands of farm surveys carried out since 1988 by the local authorities at the request of my Department, which led to the identification of high and medium risk farms and appropriate remedial action programmes.
Under the operational programme for the control of farmyard pollution, 1989-1993, some £94 million has been provided by way of grant assistance to farmers in the period 1989 to 1993 representing a total investment of some £200 million in improved waste storage and animal housing facilities. A follow up scheme is currently being prepared by Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry. The new rural environment protection scheme and the implementation of the EU nitrates directive will further assist the control of agricultural pollution.
The River Lung incident has been an untimely reminder of the constant threat of water pollution. Without prejudice to the detailed results of the investigations taking place, and the prosecutions which may arise, all persons concerned in potential water polluting activities should now take extra care to manage and secure their operations in a way that will protect the environment. I call on farmers, industrialists, local authorities and others to manage effluent wastes and exercise the maximum care for the environment.