Lorraine Higgins (Labour)

I note that the submissions of the Galway Senators refer to the Volvo Ocean Race which is taking place in Galway in July. Consistent with the talk of water, I call for a debate on the setting up of a single inspectorate for water quality. The position now is that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Environmental Protection Agency, the local authorities, the HSE and Inland Fisheries Ireland all police our water quality. Different criteria apply, however, to the integrity of this natural resource in the case of each body. For the purposes of simplicity and a unified approach to water quality there should be a single standardised inspectorate. I call for the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to come to the House to debate the matter on this basis.