Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 30 September 2025

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy

Fish Kill in the River Blackwater: Discussion

2:00 am

Photo of John Paul O'SheaJohn Paul O'Shea (Cork North-West, Fine Gael)
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I thank all the speakers and contributors today. There has been huge reputational damage to the River Blackwater since this incident occurred, from an economic point of view, as was mentioned the anglers' representatives, but also from a tourism perspective. That needs to be acknowledged. I do not think it was acknowledged by anyone here today, but it must be acknowledged by everyone that damage has occurred throughout the previous two months.

I want to refer to the IFI statement that was issued on 12 August. The first line of the statement says:

Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is investigating a possible fungal infection outbreak that may have killed up to 1,000 brown trout in the River Blackwater, Co Cork.

Does IFI regret that statement, given the fact that results show it is not a fungal infection but a pollutant?