Vol. 574 No. 1
117 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the information available to his Department on the level of damage to fish stocks in the south Galway area as a result of the bogslide near Derrybrien, County Galway; the steps being taken to restore the damage done; if commercial interests are found to be responsible, if they will be asked to fund the restoration work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26258/03]
The development of a wind farm at Derrybrien by Hibernian Wind Power, a subsidiary company of the ESB, is a day to day operational matter for the company and not one in which I have a function. Nonetheless, I understand from Hibernian that, following the occurrence of the bogslide, attention was immediately focused on taking remedial action to minimise the effect of the slide and determining its possible cause.
The construction of wind farm projects is subject to the grant of planning permission under the provisions of the Local Government (Planning and Development) Acts 1963 to 2000. The appropriate local planning authority conducts the planning process for such facilities independently. As part of the planning process, an environmental impact assessment study may also be required in accordance with the provisions of the European Communities (Environmental Impact Assessment) Amendment Regulations 1999. I have no statutory function in regard to the planning aspects of wind energy developments. To be of assistance to the investigation of this incident, the Geological Survey of Ireland, an agency of my Department, in the context of its general scientific interest in landslide occurrences and soil movements, has visited the site and will include information gleaned from that visit in material to be published on its website in due course.
The Shannon Regional Fisheries Board has responsibility for the management, protection and development of the fishery in the Owendalulleegh River and in Lough Cutra, County Galway. I am advised by the regional fisheries board that its initial assessment is that the Owendalulleegh River is seriously damaged from the area of the bogslide near Derrybrien as far as Lough Cutra and that fish are buried in the peat silt deposit. Casualties include stocks of brown trout, eels, etc., of all life stages. The board has indicated that no preventative measures against fish mortality are possible at this stage.
Neither is it possible to assess fully the environmental damage or to estimate the extent of rehabilitation works required until events have fully unfolded. It may be necessary to wait for some months to completely assess the extent of rehabilitation necessary and possible.
The fisheries board has a team of staff working alongside the ESB fisheries conservation unit and environmental staff at Galway County Council in the ongoing assessment of the situation. They are sampling the waters and bed of both river and lake, monitoring for mortalities, assessing the extent of damage to the fish habitat and liaising with other agencies. I understand that all the agencies involved are committed to a restoration and enhancement project on the river when the full extent of the damage has been agreed.
Both the Shannon Regional Fisheries Board and the local authorities have powers to prosecute for the pollution of the river. While the cause is yet to be formally established, the board will investigate the incident further. Should it become clear that there is a responsible party, it is the policy of the board to prosecute.
I am sure everybody sympathises with people living in the Derrybrien area and those involved in the fishing industry in respect of the amount of damage that has occurred there as a result of the second major bogslide that has occurred in recent months. The Minister of State indicated that the local authority is responsible for the planning permission aspect of this matter. Was the Department not involved in the licensing arrangements regarding the €60 million wind farm proposed to be built by Hibernian Wind Power, a subsidiary of the ESB? Is it not, therefore, the case that the Department was directly involved in the planning of the project? Was an EIS forthcoming or was some form of environmental assessment carried out? Last week we discussed fish farms and it was stated that a major environmental assessment should be carried out before the licensing process commences.
The Minister of State referred to trout, pike and eel. I understand that something of the order of 100,000 fish have been killed in this major pollution episode. When does the Minister expect the investigation to be completed? Perhaps Galway County Council or the Department could impose some sanctions in respect of this matter.
Responsibility for granting planning permission and for environmental assessments rests with the local county council.
What about the actual megawattage of the—
We would be involved in that area but not in the actual—
Would the Department not have been aware of the location? I understood a locational aspect was involved.
This particular project came under the aegis of Galway County Council and An Bord Pleanála, which is an independent body. We had no involvement in the planning process.
What about under the AER process in respect of wind power? The Minister of State will be aware of allegations made about a certain activity taking place at Belmullet which may have precipitated the previous bogslide in the north Mayo area. Does the Department not have an environmental assessment function under the AER process?
We have no function in that area. The AER contract involves pricing, etc., but the granting of planning permission would be a function of the local county council. As already stated, this matter eventually came before An Bord Pleanála.
On the fish kill, the chief executive officer indicated that the river is practically wiped out and that between 50,000 and 100,000 fish have died. He does not anticipate any further fish mortality. It will not be possible to quantify the extent of the damage arising until a programme of electro-fishing can be carried out.
The Shannon Regional Fisheries Board has informed us that it expects to have a preliminary report available this week. We will assess it when it comes to hand.
The Minister of State has responsibility in respect of the AER 6 scheme under which contracts to produce energy from alternative sources, primarily wind, were granted. The Derrybrien project, which was to be run by Hibernian Wind Power, a subsidiary of the ESB, was supposed to produce 60 megawatts, making it the largest wind project of its type in the country. If this project cannot proceed as a result of the landslide, is it the intention to reallocate those 60 megawatts to some other contractor or to retain them for the Hibernian group to develop somewhere else? How will the delay impact on the Department's plans in respect of trying to reach a target figure of producing 10% of all energy in this country via alternative sources such as wind?
The Deputy is broadening the scope of the question.
It is directly relevant.
I support what Deputy Coveney says in respect of the entire process. Would it be the view of the Minister and the Minister of State that, even though we all favour alternative power, environmental assessments should be carried out by the Department in respect of developments of this nature on land or on the sea?
I presume that Question No. 119 is being taken with this question.
It is not.
As the single shareholder in the ESB, will the Minister prompt it to carry out its study as quickly as possibly and publish it? He is unfortunate in that there have been two major disasters on bogs in recent months. The first of these involved the licensing by his Department of the construction of the Ballinaboy gas terminal on a bog site, which was correctly turned down by An Bord Pleanála, while the second involves the licensing of a wind farm, the construction of which has led to a massive bogslide.
In terms of his Department's licensing arrangements in respect of exploration and wind farming, would it not be appropriate for the Minister to set out some conditions, standards or directions to companies considering construction on bogs, especially upland blanket bogs which are so volatile, in order that we will not have to revisit this issue in five years' time when another bog has slipped into a river, lake or community?
With regard to Deputy Coveney's question, it is too early to say what will happen to the Hibernian project until all the investigations have been completed. We will monitor the situation and decisions will have to be made when the results of those investigations are received.
In respect of Deputy Eamon Ryan's question, we work with the local authority and the Department of the Environment and Local Government. However, all the planning regulations and legislation apply to the local authority and we do not interfere in that area. The local authority grants planning permission and is responsible for making decisions. We do not have a role in the area of planning.
