Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 928: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the widespread and sustained opposition by residents organisations and business interests and others who reside in the River Shannon catchment to any proposal by Dublin local authorities to abstract water from Lough Ree or other lakes on the River Shannon; if his attention has further been drawn to a report entitled Environmental and Sustainability assessment of the proposal by Dublin City Council to abstract water form the River Shannon catchment, which contains observations and recommendations and issues, showing [i]inter alia[/i], that international experience shows that large-scale abstraction of water from river systems worldwide has generally been followed by ecologically and socially destructive and irreversible consequences; if, in this context, he will take steps to ensure that his proposed project of abstraction from the Shannon by Dublin local authorities is rejected outright; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27559/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Local authorities are responsible in the first instance for developing public water supply proposals to meet the needs of their areas. A study of the future requirements of the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) undertaken by Dublin City Council has estimated that the GDA will require an extra 300 million litres of water per day by 2031 and identifies the River Shannon as one possible source in that context.

I understand that Dublin City Council initiated a Strategic Environmental Assessment in relation to the study findings in 2006 and that extensive stakeholder and public consultation processes will take place later this year. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on the process at this stage, or to anticipate the likely outcome.