The threat remains of EU legal action against the Government for failing to adequately protect Irish rivers and lakes from pollution despite a two-day meeting between the European Commission and Irish officials.
A delegation from the Commission's environment directorate-general met Department of the Environment officials in Dublin this week to evaluate the Irish response to increasing nitrate levels in fresh water, mainly due to sewage waste. It is also concerned about increasing levels of phosphates in water from farming and domestic wastes.
While neither side wished to comment in detail on the outcome, The Irish Times understands that the threat of legal action remains. Moreover, the Commission has sought indications of Irish action within a specified time and guarantees on the role of local authorities in preventing pollution and in arresting deterioration of water quality.
The delegation sought detailed responses on specific problems, including pollution at certain locations, notably Lough Leane, Co Kerry, before a follow-up meeting in Brussels.
The Department defended its response to date and did not accept "the Commission's implications" that it had not undertaken the necessary monitoring of nitrate levels. A Department spokesman said there was no basis for designating vulnerable zones in Ireland because of the existence of localised pollution sources.
"These pollution sources are not amenable to the type of remedial measures envisaged under the nitrates directive and instead are pursued under existing water pollution legislation," he said.
The Carra-Mask Angling Federation said it believed court action could be the only means to getting the required water protection. It condemned the Irish strategy document, Managing Ire- land's Rivers and Lakes, on which the Irish approach is based as being largely aspirational.
Its spokesman, Mr Tony Waldron, said the reasons for continuing enrichment/pollution of the waters were well documented, but current proposals were not sufficient, even if implemented in full. "We have formally presented our concerns to the Commission. It acknowledged that more effective measures must be taken."
He said one of the reasons a more dynamic approach was not being taken was that a much greater level of sewage treatment investment would be required. This was especially necessary in the most environmentally-sensitive catchments in the west.
Equally, more definite measures were needed to tackle the effects of farming and the issue of waste disposal, including slurry, over land. He claimed the Department of Agriculture's influence in protecting farming interests meant the water-quality measures were not sufficient.
"Our understanding is that the Commission is also having difficulty with the Irish strategy. It should pursue the issue until they are satisfied that the Government's response is adequate; that effective strategies are put in place and are achieving the results expected."
