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Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Water Quality Monitoring Report: Discussion (19 Jul 2023)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I saw the EPA going to court stating, with regard to peat bogs, that the whole bog was hydrologically connected. As Dr. Cotter is aware, when a case was brought in the past few weeks and the EPA was asked for the evidence and science of it, it had none to produce even though the EPA believes in science. An ordinary person had to spend large amounts of money to show hydrologically and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Water Quality Monitoring Report: Discussion (19 Jul 2023)

Dr. Eimear Cotter: We believe in science. The case I believe the Deputy is referring to is one we took in the District Court in relation to extraction of peat, and the charges were dismissed. The reason those charges were dismissed was that we did not reach the threshold required for a criminal conviction. It is not to suggest that we do not believe in science. In that case, we did not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Water Quality Monitoring Report: Discussion (19 Jul 2023)

...particular case, we did not reach the threshold required to secure a criminal conviction but we have had other successful prosecutions in the District Court in respect of the unlawful extraction of peat. We have had-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Water Quality Monitoring Report: Discussion (19 Jul 2023)

Dr. Eimear Cotter: We have secured injunctions in the High Court in respect of the unlawful extraction of peat and we have cases ongoing before the courts. I do not think it is accurate to connect our science with one particular case.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Water Quality Monitoring Report: Discussion (19 Jul 2023)

...levels or there is a problem with the biology and we look for possible sources of nitrogen in its catchment. We know cattle numbers, the number of septic tanks, whether there is forestry or peat and whether it is an urban area. We know what is happening, as there are a number of data sets that tell us what is going on in the area, and we then we can work out the source, for example, how...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Water Quality Monitoring Report: Discussion (19 Jul 2023)

...and focus today is agriculture because of the report and the Commission's requirements, but there are a range of pressures on water quality. All of them - septic tanks, wastewater, forestry, peat and the full spectrum of urban area run-offs - will need to be addressed in order to improve our water quality.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Water Quality Monitoring Report: Discussion (19 Jul 2023)

Dr. Eimear Cotter: We have looked at the overall impact of the main pressures on water bodies throughout the country. Agriculture, physical changes, wastewater and peat extraction also have an impact on our water bodies. Approximately 100 water bodies are experiencing peat extraction as a significant pressure. Therefore, anything that helps in terms of reducing the illegal extraction of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Water Quality Monitoring Report: Discussion (19 Jul 2023)

Michael Fitzmaurice: The witnesses spoke about peat. Regarding the Little Brosna and Shannon rivers, did the EPA bring cases against Bord na Móna?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Water Quality Monitoring Report: Discussion (19 Jul 2023)

Michael Fitzmaurice: The witnesses spoke about peat running down rivers, etc. Did the EPA bring any cases against Bord na Móna?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Water Quality Monitoring Report: Discussion (19 Jul 2023)

Dr. Eimear Cotter: Not that I am aware of. What I was referring to earlier was the illegal extraction of peat.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Water Quality Monitoring Report: Discussion (19 Jul 2023)

Michael Fitzmaurice: It was well known in the cases of the Little Brosna and Shannon rivers. If peat is dangerous in this way, would the EPA recommend that all the Bord na Móna peat be cleaned out of the Shannon and the Little Brosna rivers?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Water Quality Monitoring Report: Discussion (19 Jul 2023)

Dr. Eimear Cotter: Just to clarify, what I was referring to earlier in terms of cases was the illegal extraction of peat.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Water Quality Monitoring Report: Discussion (19 Jul 2023)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Would the EPA recommend that the likes of the Little Brosna river, where peat was milled, be cleaned out?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Water Quality Monitoring Report: Discussion (19 Jul 2023)

Dr. Eimear Cotter: Where we see an impact on water quality from peat extraction it needs to be dealt with.