Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 21 March 2018

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government

Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals

5:00 pm

Mr. Brian MacDonald:

The NETLAKE project we were involved in was a co-operation in science and technology, COST, project done across Europe. A study was done on 20 lakes across Europe. One of our lakes, in County Monaghan, came in second worst with regard to microparticles. It is ubiquitous. We know it is in the environment. It will be an additional level of monitoring that we have to do this year that is not even included as part of the parameters. We have not been able to get somebody who can actually do it here yet. It is a worry for everybody. We are in the early stages and will take our guidance from the EPA.