Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 1 Jun 1995

Vol. 453 No. 8

Written Answers. - Lough Sheelin (Cavan).

Eoin Ryan

Ceist:

109 Mr. E. Ryan asked the Minister for the Environment if he will publish a report on pollution in Lough Sheelin, County Cavan, by the Environmental Protection Agency referred to in media reports (details supplied); when the report was compiled; whether it was made known to his Department; if so, when; the steps, if any, that have been taken to appraise the local authorities concerned of its contents; the steps, if any, his Department has taken to appraise itself of the contents of a separate report by Greenpeace entitled Last Chance to Save Lough Sheelin referred to in the same media report; if his Department was sent a copy of the report by Greenpeace; the further steps, if any, he plans to take to evaluate the Greenpeace report's claims that domestic drinking water in Granard was found to contain a carcinogenic substance; the consideration, if any, his Department has given to the policy implications of the termination of the control of farmyard pollution scheme by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry and its consequent implications for take-up of Rural Environment Protection Scheme in view of the Environmental Protection Agency's recommendations in relation to tackling farm pollution around Lough Sheelin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9650/95]

Minister for the Environment (Mr. Howlin)

The Environmental Protection Agency has given information and advice to Cavan County Council, following a request in April 1994 by the then Minister for the Environment to the agency under section 56 of the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992. The information and advice related to the performance by the County Council of its functions under the Local Government (Water Pollution) Acts, 1977 and 1990, for the control of water pollution with respect to the Lough Sheelin catchment, and was first transmitted by the agency to the county council in November 1994. A copy of the Environmental Protection Agency report involved was sent to my Department by the agency at that time on a courtesy basis and I understand that copies are available, on request, from the agency. Action arising from the Environmental Protection Agency information and advice is a matter for Cavan County Council.

The Environmental Protection Agency has written separately to my Department concerning the financing of phosphorous removal facilities at Ballyjamesduff which the agency views as requiring high priority in the context of improving water quality in Lough Sheelin. This project has already been proposed by my Department for Cohesion Fund financing as part of the application for the Lough Ree catchment submitted to the European Commission in December 1994.

My Department has no record of having been sent a copy of the Greenpeace report referred to in the question, although it has obtained the report independently. As regards the claims in that report about dangers to Granard drinking water, while my Department is not the authority responsible for quality monitoring, I understand that Longford County Council has undertaken monitoring of the water supply for the substances. (THMs) referred to in the report. The results obtained were well within the current maximum admissible concentration of 100 rug/1 set out in the European Communities (Quality of Water Intended for Human Consumption) Regulations, 1988.

Regarding the control of farmyard pollution scheme, I refer to the reply to Question No. 59 of 9 May 1995. The matter is also the subject of a number of questions on today's Order Paper.