Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

These matters are before the courts. The decisions were made on the prerequisite that certain measures would be taken and it is for this reason my answer was conditional. These arrangements will prove satisfactory if certain measures are implemented. The EPA and the FSAI must be satisfied that these matters are dealt with.

Deputy Sargent is correct in stating that these are spot checks. The monitoring is well beyond the EU standard and there is no reason this should not be so. The Office of Environmental Enforcement goes beyond the independence of the EPA and the FSAI. Discussions between the EPA and the FSAI regarding bio-monitoring, to which Deputy Sargent referred, and the production of milk, a sensitive indicator of foodstuffs, as well as tissue and animals likely to be exposed to any possible emissions. These concerns are being taken into consideration.

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