McLoughlin suuprts the Save Swilly campaign
Issued : Tuesday 15 May, 2007
Siobhan McLaughlin, fully supports the continuous work of the 'Save the Swilly' campaign which highlights the increasing amount of untreated and improperly treated sewage being released into the Swilly. She said that the government's ongoing strategy of ignoring the sewage this issue has brought it into conflict with EU water quality and shellfish quality designation directives, which will ultimately lead to substantial fines in the near future.
"In December 2006 the Dail debates on the Foyle and Carlingford Fisheries Bill identified Donegal County Council as the largest polluter of Lough Foyle," she said, adding, "the Minister responsible for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Noel Dempsey, assured the House that his officials would raise the matter with the Council. So far nothing more has been heard about this." As the issue of proper sewage treatment facilities for Moville and Greencastle is overshadowed by claims of mismanagement and lack of a proper consultation process, the crisis continues, Ms McLaughlin said.
"The Department of Marine and the Department of the Environment should be leading a joint approach to the whole issue of pollution of our marine environment. In the meantime unrelenting damage is being caused to our coastal waters, rivers and lakes while one government Department puts the responsibility on the other or blames the local authorities," she stated.
