Mr. Noel Meehan:

Yes. The way the ASSAP was originally structured is the way that is going at the minute. The way it was divided up was a restore function.

Basically, what ASSAP and LAWPRO are trying to do is that where a water body is not meeting its water framework directive target and is at moderate or poor status, that is a restore function and the idea is that we would go in and try to restore that water quality. The Deputy is asking if there is a protect function, which is the phrase that would be used by the EPA and perhaps it is part of the river basin management plan as well. With the protect function the idea is that one would have a discussion with farmers before issues manifest themselves in the river or stream and get things fixed prior to the impact that might be there. That is the question the Deputy is asking. Currently, our role in ASSAP is not that role. We have 20 Teagasc and 13 co-operative advisers, which will be increasing to 18. We have 33 advisers at present, but that will increase to 38. Our role is based on the restore function. LAWPRO identifies where the problems are and we try to work with the farmers in collaboration to try to improve the water quality. That is our role at present.

As an aside, we had an assessment of the ASSAP carried out by an expert panel last September. The current chair of the Water Forum was part of that expert group. One of the recommendations from the expert group was to set down and project forward what the role of ASSAP will be into the future. That is a job for the joint funding Departments, to have a discussion on that in consultation with stakeholders. To answer the Deputy's question, it is not part of the plan at present, but it may be.

There is another point, and I am sorry for delaying, Chairman. In the forthcoming river basin management plan and the priority areas for action that we are working in, there will also be local authorities working in those and they will have a protect function, as far as I understand. What the Deputy is asking may be undertaken by local authorities but, as it stands, ASSAP has not got that function yet.