Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 176: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will make a statement on his failure to follow through on his commitment to improve water quality around the coast in response to the June 2007 European Court of Justice shellfish waters ruling and on indications from the European Commission that new legal action will be taken against him. [35098/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The ruling in question refers to a case against Ireland in relation to the implementation of Directive 2006/113/EC on the quality of shellfish waters. Responsibility for this function transferred to my Department in November 2008. I am committed to improving water quality in all of our waters and I have strengthened the legislative framework considerably since taking office as well as providing significant exchequer funding under the Water Services Investment Programme.

In relation to shellfish waters specifically, I designated 49 new shellfish waters in February 2009, bringing the total number of designated waters to 63. In addition, a process has been put in place for the preparation of Pollution Reduction Programmes by the end of this year for each of the designated sites. These Programmes will set out specific actions to protect and improve, where necessary, the water quality in the designated waters.