Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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417. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he is concerned that there was no improvement reported in 78% of the water bodies in the LAWPRO second cycle "priority areas for action"; if he will outline his plans to address same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55310/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The recently published Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report Water Quality in Ireland 2016-2021 shows that the main risk to water quality continues to be excess nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen) in our rivers, lakes and coastal areas.

In relation to the Priority Areas for Action, the EPA reports that a total of 117 river water bodies showed improvements in status, while 67 declined, resulting in a net overall improvement in status class in 50 water bodies in the Priority Areas for Action. Overall these water bodies performed better than areas outside of the priority areas, where the overall number of improvements have been cancelled out by the number of water bodies with a decline in status.

The Government is taking strong action on Water Quality including: a record investment in Irish Water capital programmes; a new CAP Strategic Plan with measures to protect and improve water quality in agricultural areas; and a new stronger Nitrates Action Programme.

The Government will shortly launch a new revised and strengthened River Basin Management Plan. This plan will build on the work of the second-cycle, and will again describe the main pressures and activities affecting water status, set out the environmental objectives to be achieved up to 2027 and identify the measures needed to achieve these objectives, including those highlighted by the EPA.