State faces EU fines over river quality

THE State risks being fined millions of euro and another appearance before the European Court of Justice for environmental breaches if it fails to reduce the levels of phosphorous polluting Irish rivers.

That was the warning issued to farmers yesterday by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) environmental enforcement director Dr Dara Lynott.

“Almost 40% of our rivers are polluted with phosphorus, which comes from the run-off of farm fertilisers and if we fail to clean this up and comply with EU directives we could face millions of euro in fines in the European Court of Justice,” Dr Lynott said.

Ireland has already been before the European Court of Justice, on June 2, for failing to comply with EU directives on reducing levels of dangerous substances and nitrates in our water.

The State still faces millions of euro in fines if it fails to comply with the nitrate and dangerous substance directives within a deadline which is soon to be announced.

“If we don’t put a programme in place on the ground to tackle the breaches in nitrates and dangerous substances levels going into our water, these fines will be imposed,” Dr Lynott said.

In a bid to help the Government to comply with the EU water directives, the EPA organised a two-day conference for local authorities and farmers.

“There are huge challenges ahead if we are to meet these EU targets - local authorities must upgrade their waste water treatment plants and farmers must reduce the levels of phosphorus and nitrates that are running into rivers,” said Dr Lynott.

He stressed that farmers are supportive of the project and that the IFA sent several representatives to the conference in an attempt to ensure their members start complying with EU phosphorus limits.

However, Dr Lynott said there has been a huge improvement in the quality of Irish waterways, with the latest EPA Water Quality Report showing that nearly two-thirds of our rivers and lakes are pollution-free.

The conference also focused on the Single Payment Scheme for farmers being introduced by the European Commission to replace individual subsidies.

“This payment is now going to be linked to farmers being able to show that they comply with all EU directive on environmental protection and if they don’t, part of their payments will be deducted,” said Dr Lynott.

Farmers were given an outline on how the inspections, to be carried out by the Department of Agriculture and local authorities, will work.

“The checklist of what exactly farmers will have to comply with to ensure their payments are not cut is being finalised,” Dr Lynott said.