Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)

I welcome to the Gallery the relatives of the participants in the Global Sumud Flotilla.

The EU confirmed this week that nature in this country is in a very poor state and that economic growth has been achieved at the expense of the environment. Even in that context, the Blackwater fish kill stands out as an unprecedented ecocide - over 46,000 dead fish floating to the surface, bringing home the mass extinction event happening silently every day due to intensive, industrialised agriculture. It is incredible that none of our State agencies apparently can find the culprit. These are the agencies that are supposed to protect our environment. No wonder locals, anglers and environmentalists are convinced there must be a cover-up. It is scandalous that the investigations have discovered several other criminal polluters that we would never have known about without this event. What is the Taoiseach going to do about this? Will he properly resource protection and enforcement? Will he ensure that repeat offenders, like North Cork Creameries, which has had 122 non-compliance issues and is still non-compliant, are prosecuted and have their licences revoked? Will he stop defending the nitrates derogation and accept it is contributing to the devastation of our rivers?

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