Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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321. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if the Environmental Protection Agency carries out monitoring of the water quality of Lough Atorick given its importance as a trout hatchery. [43643/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) oversees national programmes of monitoring and reporting on the quality of rivers, lakes, transitional, coastal waters and groundwater.  The EPA’s most recent published report in this regard is Water Quality in Ireland 2013-2018, which is available at the following link: www.catchments.ie/water-quality-in-ireland-2013-2018/#

As part of their National Lake Monitoring Programme the EPA reports on the ecological health of over 200 lakes, covering around 80% of the surface area of all lakes in Ireland.  Each lake is monitored for a range of different plants and animals along with various chemical and physical parameters. The information gathered helps with the understanding and management of these freshwater resources. 

A collaboration between my Department, the Environmental Protection Agency and local authorities through the Local Authority Waters Programme, the www.catchments.ie website contains information about Ireland's river catchments, sub-catchments and some 4,829 waterbodies throughout Ireland. Assessments and trends for water quality are also available for many waterbodies.

In particular the 3^rdCycle Lower Shannon (Lough Derg) Catchment Report (HA 25C), published in August 2021 and available at the following link, provides a summary of the water quality assessment outcomes for the Catchment which includes Lough Atorick.

catchments.ie/wp-content/files/catchmentassessments/25C%20Lower%20Shannon%20Catchment%20Summary%20WFD%20Cycle%203.pdf