Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

It is not feasible for me to accept this amendment, although I appreciate the Senator's thinking. As the text stands, it is clear the EPA must be satisfied that emissions will not contravene standards for effluents or their treatment, which may be prescribed under section 26 of the Local Government (Water Pollution) Act 1977.

Adding the words proposed may appear to the casual reader to give added emphasis, which is what the Senator is clearly trying to do, to the nature of the effluents concerned. However, we must deal with legalities in drafting legislation and the amendment adds nothing in a legal sense to the current text. Regulations under the relevant section of the 1977 Act were made in 2001, covering 14 dangerous substances likely to be of significant risk to health or the environment. Those include pesticides, solvents and metals with toxic, persistent or biocumulative effects.