Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My problem is the validation whereby X number of rivers are done on a regular basis and Y number of rivers are done maybe once a year and there is a fair variance between what is happening there.

I do not know whether people were watching our committee meeting a few weeks back when we had people from the Department of the environment in. I asked the witnesses whether they were comfortable with the target we have to get to. I asked them if they would use that if they were doing the testing. They said they would not and that it was Europe that set this bar.

Does IBEC have scientific people looking at this or checking it out? The fear I have, and I am not a scientist, is that even though there are farmers doing their best right around this country, the bar may be so high that it is unachievable. Bear in mind that if you look at the map of quality water and water is in a bad state right across Europe, we do not even go into the colour of the water the rest of Europe has or the type of pollution. About 50% of our water has a good status, or is basically holding its own. Has anyone asked whether this bar European has set is achievable? I was actually surprised with the comments from those from the Department that they would not use that model. I would like to know the thoughts of our witnesses on that.