Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 569: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the status of implementation of the Water Framework Directive with particular reference to Loughs Corrib, Mask, Conn and Carra; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18534/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Water Framework Directive was transposed into Irish law in December 2003 by the European Communities (Water Policy) Regulations 2003.

Ireland has to date met all implementation targets set out in the Directive. These include: transposition of the Directive into Irish law; identification of River Basin Districts (including International River Basin Districts in relation to waters shared with Northern Ireland); identification and typology of waterbodies; and publication of a Characterisation Report in relation to each River Basin District.

Work is progressing on the necessary measures to meet the remaining targets laid down by the Directive. These include further classification of waterbodies, the establishment of monitoring programmes and ecological classification systems, the development of environmental objectives and programmes of measures for the achievement of these objectives and the drafting and adoption of a river basin management plan in relation to each River Basin District.

Loughs Corrib, Mask, Conn and Carra lie within the Western River Basin District. The protection and improvement of waters in this District are being systematically addressed in the context of the Western River Basin District Management Project which is led by Galway County Council with funding from my Department.