Mr. Eamonn Hore:

It is what we said in our opening statement. With the Duncannon EIP project, we have shown it can be done and we can lead it out. If people are saying funding is not a problem, I will be delighted. I hope the Cathaoirleach and Dr. Bleasdale are right because we are speaking about serious money. We know what the Duncannon scheme cost. On this basis, the minimum of what we want to do will cost €2.25 million. If we are also to solve the lake cutting issue, we are looking at another €3.6 million. Beyond this, there will be other issues.

I have a couple of things to add. Wexford County Council, the local authority, has to take the lead on this because we know more about it. Dr. Roden mentioned a local interest group. There is not a more interested local group than the Lady's Island Group, which met 68 times in the past 30 or 40 years. There have been ongoing discussions about resolving this, but it takes more. The council can only enforce what is enforceable. I have said that before. We are happy to take the lead on it.

We brought the Duncannon scheme forward quickly, and it has proved successful. The two councillors from the region are showing interest. Ger Carthy heads up the drainage committee, as did his father before him. We could not have a more interested group. As I said, Jim Hurley is the oracle down there. We have known what the issue is and we have proven with Duncannon that it can be resolved. I would be annoyed if somebody else were to take the lead. I want Wexford County Council to take the lead.

Funding was mentioned. It does take funding. This could start within six months if the funding was promised. I do not like the idea of going through all seven sources of funding trying to cobble something together. It takes one Department, probably the Department of agriculture, to do that. That is my opinion. If something needs to be handled quickly, that is the way to go forward from here.

Senator Noonan was very succinct in stating that it needs an entity such as Wexford County Council, working with the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Teagasc, an Taisce, the scientists and everybody else, to bring this forward. We are happy to deal with it, but our hands are tied. We have to go way beyond regulations to resolve this problem. We need to start immediately. As I said before, one can only enforce what is enforceable. Farmers are doing what they are allowed to do. We have to go way beyond that.