Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

This is a question for the EPA. I note that compliance and enforcement is a key part of what it is saying we need to improve. If you look up Uisce Éireann and the fines that have been applied, we are talking about €900, €2,000 or €7,000. For a €1.5 billion organisation that seems absolutely paltry. That is not going to encourage it at all. That fine will provide no discouragement. With the EPA's prosecutions, if there are 15 to 20 cases per year, how many of those would be related to Uisce Éireann? Have there been instances where Uisce Éireann has been prosecuted in relation to the same river system or event a number of times? With fines for State entities, it is essentially the public purse that is paying for them not doing their job and it is costing the EPA resources, staff and the finances to go to court. Is that a good use of public money to sanction in that manner or are there other sanctions that should be applied to State agencies when they fail to uphold the law of the State?