Irish Water convicted following pollution of the River Dee

Irish Water convicted following pollution of the River Dee 

Friday 16th March 2018: At a sitting of Ardee District Court on 12/03/2018, Irish Water pleaded guilty to the discharge of deleterious matter to the River Dee on the 25/05/2017.

The offence related to a poor quality discharge from a wastewater treatment plant at Ardee, Co. Louth.

The River Dee rises near Bailieboro in County Cavan and flows through County Meath and County Louth, where it enters the Irish Sea at the village of Annagassan.

Senior Fisheries Environmental Officer with Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), Michaela Kirrane, told Judge Coughlan that during a routine inspection of the river on the 25/05/2017 it was noted that the river appeared to be in a poor condition downstream of the discharge point from Ardee Wastewater Treatment Plant. A series of water samples were taken and analysis confirmed that the discharge from the wastewater treatment plant was having a deleterious impact on the quality of the River Dee.

Irish Water co-operated fully with Inland Fisheries Ireland’s investigation and remediation works were carried out. Upgrade works are currently underway to increase capacity at the wastewater treatment plant. 

Irish Water was fined €4,500 with costs and expenses awarded to IFI amounting to €4,381.61.

ENDS

For media information:

Paul O’Mahony

Communications Manager

E: paul.omahony@fisheriesireland.ie

T: 353 (0) 1 8842675  

Notes to Editors:

About Inland Fisheries Ireland:

Inland Fisheries Ireland is a statutory body operating under the aegis of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (DCCAE) and was established under the Fisheries Act on 1st July 2010. Its principal function is the protection and conservation of the inland fisheries resource. Inland Fisheries Ireland promotes, supports, facilitates and advises the Minister on the conservation, protection, management, development and improvement of inland fisheries, including sea angling. Inland Fisheries Ireland also develops policy and national strategies relating to inland fisheries and sea angling and advises the Minister on same.

Irish Water convicted following pollution of the River Dee