Paul Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am just using that river as an example; it could be any river. The Brosna rises at Lough Owel and flows through Mullingar. It has gone through very little land. We would assume that if we took a sample of water from the river and tested it then, it would nearly have to be spot on. It then flows on through Kilbeggan into Clara and passes through more and more farmland and more and more towns and villages until it flows into the River Shannon at Shannon Harbour. If the river is picking up anything, we would assume it has picked it up by the time it gets to Shannon Harbour. If samples were to be taken in Shannon Harbour and Mullingar, there would be bound to be a serious difference between them. How would the EPA categorise that river?