John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 296: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the source behind these chemicals entering fish in the Liffey; the way in which his Department and the Fisheries Board are working to stop these chemicals interfering with fish. [23766/05]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Primary responsibility for protecting water quality rests with the relevant local authorities and proposals to deal with environmental threats in this area are a matter for these bodies to decide in consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Under the Fisheries Acts, the central and regional fisheries boards have primary responsibility for the protection, conservation and management of inland fisheries stocks and operate under the aegis of this Department. They co-operate closely with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and its agencies.

In this regard, I understand that the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board provided assistance to the Environmental Protection Agency in its recent investigations carried out on water quality and its impact on fisheries in the River Liffey. I understand that the fisheries board agrees with the conclusion of the EPA that further investigations are required to identify and quantify the substances causing the oestrogenic effects. It is the board's view that such an analytical programme, due to its complexity, should be confined to locations where biological or oestrogenic effects are indicated. I am assured by the board's chief executive officer that it will continue to liaise with the EPA and give whatever assistance it can to further these investigations.