Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 224: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he has taken or proposes to take to incentivise the prevention of pollution of rivers, lakes and streams; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4141/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Primary responsibility for the protection and improvement of water quality is assigned to local authorities under the Local Government (Water Pollution) Acts and related legislation. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) exercises general supervision in relation to the performance of these functions by local authorities.

The Government is committed to the protection and improvement of our water resources and to this end has provided substantially increased funding for the Water Services Investment Programme in 2009. Implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive is being brought forward through River Basin Districts, with funding being provided by my Department. Draft River Basin Management Plans were published on 22 December 2008 for each of the eight River Basin Districts on the island of Ireland. These draft plans include proposed programmes of measures for the protection and improvement of water quality. The draft plans are subject to public consultation for a period of six months until 22 June 2009.

The European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2006 and 2007 provide an incentive for farmers to protect waters from agricultural run-off, one of the main threats to water quality. Farmers who do not farm in accordance with good agricultural practice face a penalty under the Single Payment or other schemes where they are found, on inspection, to have breached a statutory requirement or may face prosecution by local authorities, who are the designated control authorities under the Regulations.

Discharges from municipal wastewater treatment have also been identified as a key threat to water quality. A Water Services Authority who commits an offence under the Waste Water Discharge (Authorisation) Regulations 2007 may face prosecution by the EPA which is the designated control authority for these Regulations.