Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, has issued another report today. Its last report blamed farmers for polluting our waterways. Farmers have implemented huge mitigation measures and are continuing to do so but need time to show results. I have been raising the issue of sewerage plants in every part of the country. This EPA report does not mention one plant in County Tipperary. In my own area, I could name the lovely village of Caisleán Nua, Burncourt, Grange, Mullinahone, Grangemockler, Lisvernane, Golden and Monard, to mention a few, that have no treatment plants. There is a map in the EPA paper to say that Tipperary is all fine. The EPA is not doing its job and this report is not accurate. Why have a half-baked report that states there are three Olympic-sized swimming pools of sewage going into waterways from towns and cities? We know there are. The EPA then blames the farmers. Every farmer wants to keep the environment. Householders have septic tanks. The EPA needs to be honest. I have invited its representatives to my county and village to see what is happening but they will not come. They come to test water from the plants. The EPA is not being honest. It is a publicly funded body. I am calling on the Government to deal with the EPA and ask it to do its job properly.

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