Dr. Eimear Cotter:

I can start with the nutrients, that is, nitrates and phosphorus. It is a eutrophication issue. The nutrients overstimulate the water, causing the nuisance algal blooms many of us will be familiar with around the south, south east and east of the country, which flow from our rivers into the marine environment. They are causing an overgrowth of material we do not want to see there, which then means the water body itself cannot support proper ecological health. That is the nutrients perspective. My colleagues will comment on the pesticides.