Ms Sinéad O'Brien:

It is not as straightforward with these waters because they are so sensitive that they can respond badly to a small and specific impact and they tend to be small catchments in the headwaters. In that case it is often forestry. As Dr. Crowe said, forestry is the second-biggest impact. The other impact is physical work such as drainage for land use like agriculture, farming or forestry. I remember a scientist from the EPA telling us several years ago that even sheep that had been dipped crossing a stream could affect the status of one of those waters and bring it tumbling down from pristine into a deteriorated state. Septic tanks can also have an impact. It is not straightforward and that is why we are saying that each of those water bodies needs an urgent threat response and emergency response type catchment-specific plan. We should look at what is happening in those catchments field-by-field and house-by-house so that they can be restored or protected. I am sorry I cannot provide a more straightforward answer. It is nuanced because these waters are so finely tuned and delicately balanced.