John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 870: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his Department's views on an acceptable level of formaldehyde in lakes and rivers; if baseline figures exist; if not, the mechanisms he proposes to put in place in view of the dangers posed by contaminated water supplies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19553/05]

John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 871: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his Department's views on whether 0.5 parts per million of formaldehyde is an acceptable level; if he proposes to carry out independent research to examine possibly contaminated lakes and rivers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19554/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 870 and 871 together.

Formaldehyde is not commonly encountered in the management of Irish water quality. It is not prescribed in EU or national legislation as a substance to be regulated in relation to either drinking or environmental water quality and routine monitoring for formaldehyde is not carried out. My Department understands that while a standard of just 5 micrograms per litre has been proposed in the UK to protect fish life, this standard has not been formalised.