Pádraig Ó Céidigh (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach as ucht an deis a thabhairt dom labhairt ar chúrsaí uisce i gCuan na Gaillimhe. I dtosach báire, glacaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as teacht anseo. Tá dhá rud le rá sula dtosaím. Beidh deireadh seachtaine againn ar an gCeathrú Rua i gConamara do Theachtaí Dála, Seanadóirí, Airí agus gach duine eile faoi cheann coicíse nó trí seachtaine. I would love to see the Minister of State, the Cathaoirleach and everybody in both Houses there learning spoken Irish for the weekend. It will be good craic but I will give one warning: anyone who speaks a full sentence in English will be sent home. That stands for everybody. That is coming up soon. I hope everyone can make it.

Sea swimming is becoming more and more important as a sport. There are facilities for training throughout the country. It is essential that we have clean water for sports, food, and recreation. I come from Galway and the area of Galway Bay. An issue has come up on a number of occasions in Galway, which I will share with the Minister of State over the coming two to three minutes. I hope to get his feedback on it. The European Environment Agency and European Commission published a report on European bathing water quality in 2018. Some 71% of our bathing waters were deemed excellent, but this summer we saw many swimming bans, particularly in Dublin. Beaches were closed in Dublin. The most recent closure affected eight beaches. These beaches were closed to swimmers because of dirty water. I believe the cause of the Dublin beach closures was a number of sewage spills from the Ringsend treatment plant.

In May or June of this year Galway City Council prohibited swimming off beaches at Silverstrand and Salthill and issued a warning about the Grattan Road beach in lower Salthill after elevated levels of bacteria were detected. The most recent beach closure occurred from 28 August to 4 September, just a few weeks ago. No definite cause was outlined for the source of the elevated level of bacteria in our waters. We need to have confidence in the quality of our waters, especially from a health point of view. The Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, states in its 2018 report on bathing water quality in Ireland that ongoing research will help it to understand further how it can protect and improve bathing water quality. This is very much work in progress. We need to understand fully the source of the contamination in our water, which we currently do not.

I will pay particular attention to bathing waters in Galway as I ask the Minister of State a couple of questions. Every day, throughout the year, I see people swimming and diving off Blackrock in Salthill. It is a fantastic amenity. I know that the Minister, Deputy Murphy, spends time sea swimming himself. Perhaps the Minister of State does also, but I have seen some photos of the Minister doing so while I have not yet seen any of the Minister of State. I am sure he probably jumps in now and again, as do I. Given the number of cruise ships visiting Ireland in 2019, does the Minister of State know what volume of wastewater and sewage was discharged into Irish waters?Who monitors cruise ships in Irish waters for compliance with environmental regulations? If we have an authority or a body doing that, what is the frequency and depth of this monitoring? Other countries have legislation in place requiring that cruise ships be routinely tested to meet clean air and water standards and a tax is levied on each cruise ship passenger to pay for the programme. Has a cruise ship operator ever been fined by Irish authorities for causing pollution?

I support and promote tourism but there is a balance to be struck. There is potentially a black hole or lack of clarity in this regard. Many people in Galway are concerned by the fact that the closure of Salthill beaches often coincides with the presence of cruise ships off Galway Bay. This issue was raised in Galway City Council a couple of times. Councillor John Connolly, who has highlighted it, is particularly concerned about the number of no-swim notices and advisory notices warning about water quality in the city. Councillor Donal Lyons has also raised the issue. This is a concern for people in Galway and I suggest it may also be an issue for people in Dublin who regularly swim in the sea. I would value the Minister's feedback on it.