River Vartry Protection Society

Comments on Polution

We have had several comments that were posted and are re-posted here for viewing.

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I’m amazed that you know and Wicklow Co. Co. know where the sewage that is being dumped in the river is coming from and yet nothing is happening to stop it.  Is there no law being broken ?

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admin answer:

It has gone on much too long and really should be stopped immediately. There are some long range plans to fix the situation but an immediate action should be taken rather than waiting. There is an EU ELD (Environment Liability Directive) see important links and the full document is there. I have not have time to study all of the documentation fully. It would be nice if someone else could “bone up” on this for future reference and be our ELD expert. It looks as if it might be powerful legislation with teeth, should or when or if it has been placed into Irish Legislation.

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i passed over the river at 6.30pm today and there was serious grey pollution coming down the river from somewhere above ashford.I informed the authorities but when the perpetrators only get fined 500 euros it just seems pointless after all who gives a #### about a few fish eh

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admin answer:

I assume that is was Ashford Bridge. We were by the river early and did not see anything, but it is spillage from Devil’s Glen and can be very direct. I will ask Kieran if they got smell yesterday as often happens. We need to really put our attention to this, once the Water Scheme business is quiet.. after Tommorrow.

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River Vartry Water Management Directive

According to EU Directives, the Easter Region Basin District is responsible to make a plan for the River Vartry and the Basin. The draft form of this plan is available on the website and is Draft River Basin Management Plan. This was published in December 2008 and should be open for comments from the public until July (The exact date will be supplied as soon as I confirm with the ERBD).
It is important that we now focus on this and try and read the document and give any suggestions and corrections necessary. This is an important document and MUST be carefully checked since it will define what can be done to the river in the future.  Any comments to this post will be appreciated.  I am aware that the Fisheries Board have been and will be working with the ERBD to see that their interests are covered, but all of us who are around the River Vartry should be involved. The Fisheries have already commented that the Vartry must be divided into the Reservoirs which are heavily modified and the River itself which is Natural. The document is a good solid foundation for the future but participation can only improve it.

Wicklow County Council Withdraws Plan8 for the Moment

Good news from the Wicklow County Council that they have decided to withdraw the application for the Plan8 temporarily, while they wait for information to assess whether an EIA will be necessary.  There are several open issues still to be resolved, which are:

1- Have the CPOs been removed from An Bord Pleanala? It would be a great waste of money and resources if they have not been stopped or suspended.

2- The Wicklow Co. Co. has commissioned McCarthy Hyder to do a simple study.  McCarthy Hyder had originally advised the WCC that an environmental study was not necessary. It is our opinion that this advice was not in the best interest of the River and that the eventual author of the EIA will be someone that exhibits a bi-partisan concern over the river and that the process is monitored by An Bord Pleanála, the Fisheries and the EPA.

3- There were over 60 objections all asking for an EIA. It is certainally clear that there is sufficient public concern to make one manditory under EU and Irish Law.

Can everyone that objected and has received an acknowledgement from the Wicklow Co. Co. to please write back to them, thanking them for re-thinking and pointing out to them the points above?