Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I am really pleased to see there will be a focus on this. Obviously, the Avoca River is an incredibly important system. As the Minister said, there are many legacy issues relating to it. There were plans for a remediation programme around 2006, I believe, but they were dropped because we hit the recession. It is good to see that progress will be made. This progress, aligned with the planned Arklow wastewater treatment plant, will certainly facilitate a renewal of the town and region. I ask, however, that the focus not be on mining issues alone; perhaps there could be a funding focus, although perhaps not through this programme, on the river itself, the biodiversity and the rewilding of the area. I can talk to the Minister about that on a future date.