Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have written to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, outlining my concerns about waste from diesel laundering that is being dumped in Lough Ross in County Armagh and entering the Fane river which is the source of drinking water for Dundalk and its hinterland. Approximately 1,200 incidents of such dumping have been dealt with by the local authorities since 2008, 596 cases of which have taken place in County Louth. It has cost the State approximately €4.8 million to dispose of this waste. There is no doubt that this is a major problem in County Louth.

We know anecdotally that a large proportion of this waste comes from across the Border, but we cannot prove the link. Following discussions between the Garda and Customs officials and Monaghan County Council which has also been seriously affected, the Minister has confirmed that the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government will fund a pilot sampling programme to test the dumped waste and, I hope, link the dump sites with particular laundering processes and identify the origin of the waste diesel. The pilot programme will be carried out by a specialist contractor who will visit the sites, sample the water, deliver the samples to the State Laboratory and compile a report based on the analysis. This is great news for County Louth and surrounding areas.

There is already good co-operation between An Garda Síochána, the PSNI and other enforcement agencies on both sides of the Border. However, given that it is likely that the origin of the waste material is Northern Ireland and given the major environmental impact south of the Border and the huge cost to the State in that regard, it is vital that an effort be made to build on these relationships. The Minister has assured me that he will highlight the problems being faced in Border counties at the next meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council.

Louth County Council carries out regular water sampling. Drinking water sample results for 2014 are compliant with drinking water regulations. However, with so much diesel sludge being dumped without thought or concern for local people, there is a grave danger that drinking water could be contaminated. It is unacceptable that the countryside is being damaged in a way that has become acceptable. Tackling the problem of diesel laundering is challenging and costly, but I am committed to continuing to work to address the issue. Diesel launderers are using the countryside of County Louth as a dumping ground and this must stop.

Following the enactment of legislation and the introduction of various environmental protection measures, including the introduction of the ban on smoky coal and a solid fuel carbon tax, there has been a major improvement in Ireland's environmental record. Many of these measures flow from Ireland's obligations as an EU member state. This Bill brings together a number of legislative amendments to update-reinstate the fixed payment notice charge provisions for certain offences, including under the 2012 fuel regulations and the Waste Management Act 1996, and extends the period within which a declaration of non-use may be made in respect of a new motor vehicle and on the transfer of ownership of a vehicle. It also extends the scope of activity for which the Environmental Protection Agency may charge a fee under the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992 and corrects a number of typographical errors in the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010.

The Bill will give effect to a number of waste policy commitments contained in the programme for Government and implement the advice of the Office of the Attorney General on the use of fixed payment notices for environmental offences.

The EPA's national waste report 2011 states that Ireland is meeting most of its EU obligations and targets in respect of wastewater management. However, some areas need to be improved. With the exception of targets under the end of life vehicle directive, Ireland is achieving its common EU obligations across a broad range of waste legislation. This includes packaging, electrical waste and electronic equipment and batteries. Some targets remain at risk, including end of life vehicles, batteries, and biodegradable municipal waste from landfill.

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