Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I, like the vast majority of people, welcome any approach that would limit any potentially dangerous sea and water pollutants and protect the delicate ecologies that already exist there. On the existing structures that have reached the end of their lifespan, a target of complete removal is clearly preferable, but where that is not achievable the deconstruction process must undertake a clear objective of minimal environmental damage and pollution.

I am left wondering, however, why we take these stringent measures on our offshore waters while we still continue to take such a poor approach to our inland rivers and waterways. One would think that being from a midlands constituency, an environmental priority would be there for our rivers and inland ecosystems. Yet a clear legislative commitment to protect those waterways, their habitats and the local communities along these rivers is still yet to come. This is not to mention the fact also that most river pollutants lead to the sea in any event undermining some very good work that is being carried out there.

One egregious example of this level of neglect and pollution in my constituency of Longford-Westmeath is in Athlone along the River Shannon where there is a horrible history of contamination with sewage and other waste. This is due to having an inadequate infrastructure in place which cannot deal with the constant threat of flooding which the residents of the east and west banks of the Shannon have to endure. Such unacceptable contamination is not unique just to that town, however, and there is a track record of other rivers and lakes being polluted, in some cases beyond what is considered safe for humans to use.

I have argued before in the Dáil for a common agency to manage the River Shannon with a comprehensive flood defence plan to replace the existing combination of Government bodies such as the ESB, Waterways Ireland and numerous local authorities, each of which having responsibility for its own section of the river. Commonsense would dictate that what happens upstream will have a direct impact downstream. At the moment, where we see a high level of rainfall and rising water levels, water is drained into a sewerage system in order to prevent flooding. It is impossible, of course, to store an ever-increasing supply of water in a system that is archaic. That rainwater mixed with sewage is then released back into the Shannon. That is beyond acceptable. This is 2021 and nobody should have to look out their door and smell that on their doorstep. This flooding has been caused by a multitude of factors along the Shannon and it is very easy to place blame at many doors but one place that blame cannot be placed is on local residents who are paying the price for poor governance and decision-making which was outside of their control.

Finally, we see some good work in Athlone which is beginning to improve the system and end this practice because it is extremely damaging not only to the health and well-being of local residents and environment but also to the habitats and the businesses that operate in and around that region. It is unfortunately too little too late because some of the damage that has already been done may never be undone. Today, most of our rivers and lakes are in a sorry state. Only 53% of our rivers and estuaries are in a state of ecological health and our overall surface water quality continues to decline. In many cases the heart has been torn out of our rivers and it is undermining their basic ecological function, which is why we see a growing demand for a modernisation of the Arterial Drainage Act.

With the indulgence of the Leas-Cheann Comhairle I will make one final point. If this Government is serious about protecting all of our environment, that must include inland waterways, lakes and rivers.

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