Mr. Feargal Ó Coigligh:

With regard to cumulative impacts, there is a principle that is very well known in environmental law and which affects matters such as environmental impact assessments, which is that it is not enough to look at an individual project and that one must look at how it might impact on the environment in combination with other projects. This gives the EPA the option to consider cumulative impacts. The EPA is more qualified to answer than I am but I suspect that, in most cases, relatively low levels of abstraction will not be a problem in most areas. In some areas, such as the Dublin region which is obviously very important, in the absence of a major new supply, Irish Water will be looking at options for additional groundwater abstraction points. In major urban areas, it may have to be considered whether the groundwater supply would be under stress if additional abstractions points were introduced. I suspect this will not affect abstractions at the lower level.