Given the developments in EU and cross-Border contexts to which I will return later, the Government does not believe that the Bill represents the most effective way of achieving that intent.
Having considered the many contributions to the Second Stage debate on the Bill, it is obvious that it commands considerable support on all sides in the House. The Bill was originally sponsored by my party when we were previously in Opposition. I say that to make the point that the Government's opposition to the Bill is not for the sake of opposition but rather because of developments referred to previously which I will outline later.
The debate is being held against the backdrop of considerable winter flooding along the Shannon and, given the many contributions on the issue made on Second Stage, it would be remiss of me not to mention it. I fully appreciate the considerable inconvenience and distress experienced by people affected by the flooding. However, if the flooding issue is driving the Bill, it is misplaced. The reality is that my office and local authorities already have powers in respect of flooding under existing legislation. However, I do not want to dwell on the issue of flooding but rather want to address the content of the Bill.
All of us here are aware of the range of agencies which have responsibilities for particular aspects of the river and, as with any situation where many agencies have separate and perhaps sometimes conflicting responsibilities, there is always some scope for greater co-ordination. Clearly the Bill in section 6(2) aims to achieve such improved co-ordination between Departments, local and regional authorities, harbour authorities, health boards and other State agencies and companies. The Shannon River Council would have co-ordination and promotion rather than executive functions in the areas of water quality and bird and fish life habitats as well as the regulation and control of pollution. These matters will be substantively addressed through the implementation by the relevant authorities of the Government's Action Programme for the Millennium and the proposed EU Framework Directive on Water Policy.
My colleague, the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, has recently advised local authorities to develop outline proposals on an inter-authority basis for appropriate projects for the establishment of catchment-based water monitoring and management systems. Financial assistance at a rate of 85% will be available which will be co-financed by EU funds. It is envisaged that catchment-based project groups, which would initiate and oversee the implementation of water monitoring and management systems, would include Departments, regional and local authorities, State companies, the Central Fisheries Board, regional fisheries boards, health boards, farming, tourism and angling interests and community and environmental groups. The Minister's objective is to have project groups established in the short to medium term for all inland and coastal waters.
A proposed EU Framework Directive on Water Policy is also being developed at EU level which proposes the establishment of catchment-based river basin districts. The proposed directive provides generally for catchment-based, integrated water management, both qualitative and quantitative. Each river basin district would have a comprehensive water management plan to drive and co-ordinate the actions of all relevant authorities in the qualitative and quantitative management of water resources, including rivers, lakes and groundwaters as well as estuarine and coastal waters. The plan would also deal with the protection of aquatic ecosystems and measures to relieve the effects of flood and drought.
In addition to these initiatives, one of the new cross-Border bodies, Waterways Ireland, a statutory body which became operative on 2 December 1999, takes over responsibility for navigation on the River Shannon on Saturday next, 1 April 2000. This is a significant development in the context of improved cross-Border relations and it seems especially inopportune to propose the establishment of another statutory body at this time which would appear significantly to cut across the remit of the new cross-Border body. Since the establishment of these cross-Border bodies, which are part of the British-Irish Agreement, it would not be possible at this stage to transfer responsibility for navigation of the River Shannon to another statutory body. I am sure all Members in the House would accept that.
I wish to reiterate that the Government is not opposed to the achievement of the aims of the Bill but its intent would be more effectively met by either the initiatives in place or those proposed.
