West Cork Distillers face three charges of discharging effluent into Ilen River

The case was adjourned until April 12

Assistant Inspector with Inland Fisheries Ireland, John Twomey, pictured with fish samples at the scene of a recent fish kill along the River Ilen in Skibbereen in West Cork.

The prosecution of a distillers over an alleged incident in which effluent was discharged into the Ilen River in West Cork will return before the District Court next month.

Inland Fisheries Ireland (South Western River Basin District) is prosecuting West Cork Distillers of Marsh Road in Skibbereen over the alleged incident in July last year.

The matter came before Judge Colm Roberts at Skibbereen District Court, where Colette McCarthy, solicitor, told the court she was acting as agent for both clients and was seeking to have the matter adjourned for one month, by agreement between both parties.

She also applied for a disclosure order for West Cork Distillers. The matter was adjourned until April 12 next for plea or date.

Under the summons, West Cork Distillers face three charges: 

• that on or about July 21 last year at or near Marsh, Marsh Road in Skibbereen, in the South Western River Basin District, it did cause or permit matter to enter waters at the Ilen River in contravention of Section 3 (1) of the Local Government (Water Pollution) Act 1977 contrary to Section 3 (2) of the same Act, as amended; 
• that it did permit or cause deleterious matter to fall into the waters at the Ilen River otherwise than under and in accordance with a licence granted by the Minister, contrary to section 171 (1) of the Fisheries (Consolidation) Act 1959, as amended; 
• and that it did discharge/permit the discharge of trade effluent in the waters of the Ilen River otherwise than under and in accordance with a licence granted under section 4 of the Local Government (Water Pollution) Act 1977 contrary to section 4 of the said Act, as amended.