Paula Butterly (Louth, Fine Gael)
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1187. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the assessment that have been made regarding the potential public health and recreational impacts of designating rivers like the Fane as heavily modified water bodies, particularly in areas where residents have historically used such rivers for swimming and fishing. [45587/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to clarify that the River Fane was not identified by the Environmental Protection Agency in its technical assessment of rivers, as being heavily modified. Therefore, it is not included in the current list of water bodies proposed to be designated as heavily modified.

I also wish to clarify that the purpose of designating some water bodies as being heavily modified is to facilitate the continued use of those water bodies for specific services to society, such as drinking water sources, flood protection and hydro-electricity generation.

Designation of water bodies as being heavily modified ensures that the specified use can be continued to the benefit of society, while also ensuring that the highest water quality standards are also maintained in the water bodies. Despite the water bodies being physically modified for the purpose of providing a service to society (e.g. a constructed river impoundment to store water for abstraction) they must be managed in a sustainable manner. They must also meet the appropriate water quality standards for protecting human and ecosystem health.