Ineffective penalties

A British water company was fined €230,000 yesterday for discharging raw sewage into the sea between January and June of last year.

That fine is in stark contrast to the average penalty imposed in this country for convictions on environmental offences.

An analysis of cases taken successfully by the Environmental Protection Agency shows that the average fine imposed on polluters in Ireland is a paltry €3,500, hardly the level of deterrent needed to protect our environment, especially our precious water supplies from those who would, and have been, habitual polluters.