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A SIGNIFICANT PRESENCE of algal blooms on Blessington Lake in Co Wicklow have raised local concerns in the wake of an environmental disaster in Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland.
Algae are tiny organisms that can build up to form large clumps with a green colour known as algal blooms, which can be potentially harmful for human and animal health and damage the surrounding environment.
Lough Neagh, which borders five counties and is the largest freshwater like on the island of Ireland has been hit by a major algal bloom that has killed wildlife and raised questions about the safety of drinking water.
Algal blooms have been seen in recent days on Blessington Lake, known more formally as the Poulaphouca Reservoir, which supplies water to Dublin. The area around the lake is popular with visitors and locals, including dog walkers.
The blooms are known to temporarily occur on the lake periodically and usually do not require any extra steps to be taken in the water treatment process. The current Blessington blooms are not believed to be as insidious as those in Lough Neagh but have raised concerns nonetheless due to their potential risks for humans, animals and nature.
Wicklow TD Jennifer Whitmore told The Journal that multiple locals have contacted her abou the blooms, which thrive in warm, wet weather conditions and may become more frequent with climate change.
Speaking to The Journal, Whitmore, the Social Democrats’ biodiversity spokesperson, said that “a number of constituents have been in touch worried about the potential impact on water supply and on their pets, because certain algal blooms can be toxic”.
“We’re going to see more and more of this. Algal blooms are caused by nutrification – nutrients running off the land and into the water. There are also naturally occurring ones, but primarily, following heavy rainfall you get this level of leaching [from the land],” Whitmore outlined.
This is an area on the Blessington lakes today, it supplies 50% of the water for the Greater Dublin Area.
— Elaine McGoff (@ElaineMcgoff) October 3, 2023
We may not have an equivalent to Lough Neagh in the republic yet, but we will if we keep going on our current trajectory. pic.twitter.com/Ni0uZM3RLh
“We have seen a number of lakes, not just Lough Neagh but a number of lakes, over recent months where there have been severe blooms.
It’s another alarm bell ringing to let us know that how we are managing our land and our water sources is not sustainable.
“As temperatures rise, we will see more and more of these kind of issues impacting water supplies and it has impacts on biodiversity as well.”
Whitmore has written to Uisce Éireann to ask it communicates with local residents to “either allay their fears or to outline what they are doing and what potential impacts there are”.
In a statement to The Journal, the water utilities company said that the raw water supply taken from the lake and brought to the Ballymore Eustace Water Treatment Plant is monitored continuously with “24/7 instrumentation, a laboratory sampling program and visual inspections of the reservoir”.
“Further quality analysis and checks take place through each step of the treatment process and in the distribution network to ensure the water supplied to customers is safe to drink. Algae blooms do periodically occur for a variety of reasons, but do not typically impact the treatment process at Ballymore Eustace Water Treatment Plant.”
ESB signs at the lake that have been in place prior to the current blooms warn visitors of the risks of algal blooms, cautioning that contact with affected water can cause skin rashes, vomiting and diarrhoea.
It also warns the blooms can be toxic to dogs and other animals and advises farmers and dog owners to prevent their dogs from drinking or swimming in the affected water.
In a statement to The Journal, ESB said that it “places signs at all public entrances to Poulaphouca reservoir warning of the potential for, and risks associated with, algal blooms which are a natural phenomenon”.
“The reservoir is a significant water body with a large perimeter, localised patches of algal bloom can appear and disappear very rapidly on the reservoir due to prevailing weather conditions.”
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Contrived, as the SDLP said yesterday morning on rte radio fabricated. Nama.
home rule isnt contrived, its very very real
Contrived by current members of the PIRA involved in murdering someone.
As confirmed by the PSNI.
As denied by Sinn Féin.
Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland stating last week that current PIRA members were involved in the recent murder:
Have a read Pearse.
He also said that the PIRA still existed, but added that its leadership did not sanction the killing.
Mr Hamilton also said it was not the job of police to monitor the activity of paramilitary groups.
Mr Kerr said there was no terrorist command and the IRA was not involved in terrorism. “It is involved in pursuing an exclusively peaceful, political agenda,” he added.
did you also read this part of his statement?? LOL, you Buffoon
Assistant Chief Constable Will Kerr told board members that while the PIRA still existed it did not create a threat to national security.
- don`t forget this little nugget of information either.have a good day now, don`t choke on your toast.
will any of that rant reverse home rule?
Rant?.Rant??……. Are you looking for something that isn`t there billy? My “Rant” is copied DIRECTLY from the article that dermo posted, nothing more – Now get down off your high unicorn, before you hurt yourself.
Diarmuid – NAMA Payoff Investigation of the £7Million comes to mind , to one of your Party’s – UUP or DUP buddy’s ?
You truly are boring and spout the same nonsense everyday. I’m glad to see though your outnumbered 10:1 in most of your rants. I never voted SF before but most likely will this election as anyone is better than FG, LAB are finished anyway. I’d take FF back too over this lot.
that’s for you Diarmuid
Guys, this new claim was dermos ‘hat trick’ (the third spoof he was caught telling in the same day) last night. For those who missed it….
@dermo: “Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland stating last week that current PIRA members were involved in the recent murder:
You accused me of lying earlier for stating this very fact. Eek.”
Well you managed to do it dermo, a hat trick of spoofs the same day.
Your link to the DOB owned rag the Belfast telegraph only states that the PSNI chief stands by his earlier assessment, but nowhere in that assessment does he state that “current PIRA members were involved in the recent murder:”
New low snowflake, 3 lies, one day. A new personal best.
But please, prove me wrong by backing up your claim. Where in the PSNI chiefs statement does he claim that “current PIRA members were involved in the recent murder”
little late for all that jamsey, the north government has collapsed, its home rule chum. get with the program
Dispute the Chief Constable’s own words now James Connolly?!
Plenty more links to his actual words by the way, confirmed only a few days ago.
Attach the Belfast Telegraph, just like you’ve attacked the Irish Times, the Guardian etc
Getting desperate, shinner troll?
*attack
Did your bible An Phoblacht quote the Chief Constable differently?!
Any reply to what i posted Dermo? – where I pointed out what the PSNI chief abd assistant chief stated? – lifted directly from the link YOU gave, good to see that you have selective amnesia when it comes to cherry picking what you want to be seen as fact, but then your “Facts” are totally pulled apart in a second.
no-one believes you anymore, so away with you – move on to the next topic that you want to spin.
Diarmuid I’m beginning to think you are a shinner in disguise…you have done more for the republican movements cause than anyone on the journal!
Thanks you big ape ;)
@ dermo the spoofer: “Dispute the Chief Constable’s own words now James Connolly?!”
It’s your words that I’m disputing
At your convenience , post the ‘Chief Constable’s own words’ where he states that ‘current PIRA members were involved in the recent murder’, as you claim.
The transcript of his assessment is readily available, should be easy enough for you to find the quote…
Billy, I think you need today look up what home rule means.
Billy is just a silly little YFG troll who doesn’t know his history.
I’m PBP all the way
Why does it still exist AT ALL!!
I am a zed that SF supporters are falling over themselves to quote the PSNI CC , if had said something different we would be hearing that it’s the old RUC or the B Specials etc etc!
Assessed by PSNI not confirmed. Major difference.
Have you read the article yet King Shinnerbot “For Connolly”?
Have a good read there. A mhic.
I love people like you say that, claiming “I never voted SF before” or “I voted FG/FF/Lab before but I never will again”. It’s pure and utter BS. No sane person would ever drift toward SF unless you really are rooted in a working class hellhole and are choosing to blame everyone else for your predicament.
I come from a ”working class hell hole”. I also have two degrees. Nice one mate.
Mary Lou came across fairly well on Ptrime Time last night. She had Nesbitt on the ropes and he floundered to the point of sounding desperate.
“walkout is a ‘contrived crisis’”. And Mary Lou walking out of the Dail and holding it to ransom as a distraction technique during the Cahill affair wasn’t? Lol!!
What a hypocrite.
mary lou the master of a contrived crisis
Nesbitt didn’t think the DUP would risk collapsing it while he gathered up some publicity for the UUP.
The DUP didn’t want to be seen as soft on the Irish Papists, as that is a death knell for a Unionist party.
It’ll blow over in a few months.
Clearly no murder can be classed as a stunt . However, if the police had hard evidence on Storey why has he been released without charge and not banged up in police custody to appear in court next available day ?
That’s what should happen as opposed to allowing a dangerous murderer back in the street .
What is a pure political stunt is Robinson and his wee pixies throwing the dummy out the pram and repairing to the nearest tuck shop to buy sweets with the taxpayer’s cash. You could certainly never apply the epithet of “statesman” to him or any of his ilk. Robinson just goes through the motions so why not GTF and allow new blood the future of Ireland to flourish and ex done with his brand of outdated backward looking so called politics. Perhaps it’s time Robinson spend more time with his family ?
Everyone should listen to Seamus Mallon on Newstalk this morning. 25 murders since the ceasefire. Widespread criminality by the retirees. It’s time to stop and face them down. Yes the 2 unionist parties are playing into the hands of the anti agreement republicans. They have been given all the ammo by Sinn Fein and their lack of credibility.
Mallon was very good in that interview. He was very balanced.
Wasting your time Liam.
The majority of posters on this forum only listen when someone says SF are a 100% right and everyone else is a 100% wrong.
Cult-like if you will.
The PSNI are stating that current PIRA members, the military wing of Sinn Féin, are suspects in a violent murder.
Simple stuff.
Its all getting to be a little bit pathetic at this stage now. People want peace and progressive policies not this establishment sabotage strategy. If their so better than SF why are they so scared shouldn’t 90 years of political domination and their policies be enough to make it a fair fight to cover the country. On the ropes because they have never properly challenged. The Unionists have abandoned their mandate to those who elected them to deflect their own misgivings now they want to collapse the peace treaty . Why ? Childish foolish egotistical politicking.
Ulster Unionism knows that it can’t survive long term having fenains and taigs in power.
Every move is a desperate attempt to return to the way the North was pre peace process, when they were in charge, heavily armed and making all the decisions.
Very shortly in Stormont, the first Minister will be a SF MLA.
Unionism’s belief that the North exists for their benefit alone will be shaken to the core. The North was established so they could maintain ancient dominance and a system that only existed in the colonies in Africa in Western Europe.
Why is home rule an option? If a party resigns the other parties should take up the slack. Clearly they dont want to rule their own people.
it would resemble north korea
Sorry I should have said direct rule from London
I mean to say it would be the same thing if London ruled directly. The majority of the people didnt vote for that.
Northern Ireland politics unlike politics in the rest of the UK and ROI is run on a sectarian headcount. The unionist majority at Stormont lead by DUP is potentially in danger of losing its mandate to lead unionists after the next Assembly elections (scheduled for May 2016). If the DUP loses 25% of its support to the UUP then it will no longer be the biggest party on the north leading to probable turmoil when SF takes over the role of First Minister and majority party in NI government. My guess is with the realization of SF becoming the majority party in the next Assembly, unionists along with UK Conservatives will make the NI assembly unworkable and return it to direct rule from Westminster. Sinn Fein on the other hand are doing themselves no favours by not taking their seats at Westminster where they could create genuine support from UK Labour and the SNP.
I would agree with that Chris.
When a member of SF or the SDLP is first Ministers in the North, Unionism will walk.
The boast of Unionist leaders for years that there was no Catholic in Stormont bar the cleaners.
The UUP nearly destroyed itself by agreeing to sit in Govt. with members of the nationalist community in the 90s.
Unionism would still have a Minister with the same power but he wouldn’t be called first Minister. They would see that equal but lack of title as being like an Afrikaner pouring the tea for his black employer.
It would start the end of Unionism.
SF will never take seats in Westminster. The SDLP have shown how pointless that is.
If SF want to talk to Cameron they phone him directly.
The SDLP submit a letter and hopes he gets back or has him read a pre-prepared answer from a civil servant.
@ John Lennox, On what do you base your claim that Unionists “will walk”? Where will they walk to? Experience in Councils of SF or SDLP mayors or majorities indicates that this does not cause them to vaporise. The contradiction of amateur republicanism is that pouring scorn, contempt and hatred upon those with whom they claim they wish to be united makes that possibility less likely. Stoking up of sectarian bitterness is the strategy from which all lose. Your statement on the UUP in the 1990s is not wrong but that is not now and doesn’t need to be the future.
Terry, it doesn’t take a genius to know that the ‘no surrender’ Unionists will never bow to a SF/SDLP first minister. They would rather tear NI apart than let it happen, has history taught you nothing about these people. Westminster will have to find a compromise.
Chris, you are quite correct that the “no surrender” unionists will never bow. You should not presume however that all unionists are locked in the slogans of a century ago. I have never been a Paisley fan but you must have noticed that even the late Dr No No No eventually said yes and became one of the Chuckle Brothers. Many of us said that such things were impossible but we were wrong. While history is history, it does not have to determine the future.
It’s a stunt period. If he resigns as FM how can he simply appoint Foster in his place ?
Surely his deputy should deputise and assume the position of FM until a suitable replacement can be found . That is one that wishes to accept the post and serve ALL the people !
Therein lies the issue as these unionists cannot get used to the notion that it is no longer their Stormont and that “Ulster is a Protestant place for a Protestant people ”
That is because they have no intention of being inclusive. Speak to the ordinary Joe and they will tell you Stormont is an expensive talking shop and no more than “Ulster’s Town Council” really but they all want their snouts in the trough. The statelet is hugely over governed and should be reformed or closed down altogether . The cost to the taxpayer far outweighs the benefits if the current debacle is anything to go by . These MLA’s should be told to govern or get out and allow someone with a bit of brain and vision to take over
Mind you as long as Cameron may need to rely on the Unionists as lobby fodder in the Commins nothing will change to alter their hegemony . Look at Major’s dying days in government
i wouldnt call IRA murders a ‘stunt’
Whatever about contrived, certainly choreographed. The issue according to Peter Robinson was the arrest of Bobby Storey, of which he let slip he had prior knowledge. So then the DUP resignations had to happen before Bobby Storey was released. The DUP have attempted to collapse the assembly on a premise that no longer exists. Why are leaders not calling on them to re enter now that Bobby Storey is no longer in custody
Maybe Storey was arrested so as to give the DUP the pretext, who knows.
It wouldn’t be the first time it happened in the North in the last 15 years.
This time let them ruffle the feathers, agree some changes and carry on again.
The DUP have to play their game to ensure that the UUP do not usurp them via playing theirs.
and meanwhile, the political genius Kenny and his now side-kick Martin, sit on the fence. Have they talked to their good friend Mairia Cahill lately or is she not returning their calls. Fools.
Listen to the Seamus Mallon interview.
Billy twaddle…more like
I genuinely hate to agree with something from the mouth of the baron but yes, it is all contrived, and Ends has jumped on board with this as will all those whose support is significantly threatened by the dealignment of politics throughout Ireland.
Fair play to the SDLP for not following the FG line, difficult I’ve no doubt for the Doctor whose political career was assisted by a dig out from H. Kenny a long time ago but, perhaps they recall the voices which met them in 1981 when their, then, mid-Ulster member, Currie, pressed them to stand a candidate in FST following the death of Frank Maguire MP, election coming, they’re perhaps now more open to voting PAC s with the other Irish party in the six counties to deliver for the irish people living in this part of Ireland.
The SDLP’s weakness that it is always jumping to what other parties expect and want rather than setting its own path and confidently walking it.
I’m not sure John, being absolutely Frank, their party leader would have had a very difficult job persuading certain elements, even in his own constituency, to reject adjournment, even his old friend enda wanted this, so I think, finally, common, practical, political reality has dawned upon the SDLP fair play, it’s taken some time but, with this they may now rebuild some support within their core constituency rather than simply attempt to appeal to ‘soft’ unionism in certain areas, it might just be the reaffirmation of republicanism this particular party needs.
With such this is not jumping to the demand of others, it’s really just rejecting the political deviance of Nesbitt and MacSpiddog and Fine Gael.
BTW, I’m no fan of SDLP
This is unionist/loyalist infighting. Supported by a fabricated arrest of a Sinn Féin member released unconditionally with no evidence against him. Also, just hours before Peter Robinson and other DUP amadáns resigned, coincifemce?
SF in government brings absolute chaos, the people of the republic should take note
LOL, delusional, not everyone thinks like you billy, thank god , some of us have woken up and are smelling the coffee bein brewed – scare tactics don`t frighten us anymore
those transfers SF are so desperately seeking are slipping as the seconds go by, the shinner bluff has being well and truly called. in fairness it no wonder the shinnerbots are absolutely livid spewing their venom at anyone who questions their beloved shinners
only venom i see here this morning Wiggle, is yourself and Dermo…as usual.
its not going to go well for them in the south is it. shame that
Well, some people would disagree with you there billy, Actually it is going better than they could have hoped for, End`s party political party broadcast on RTE Radio this morning only made him look more like a fool, He couldn`t even answer the questions properly that were scripted for him..
any active IRA aint going to do transfers any good now is it
It’s going to do it wonders when they are involved exclusively in a peaceful and political process while the unionists are trying to pull the peace process down. While FG/Lab align themselves with the DUP/UUP scaremongering they are just herding people towards voting for SF.
Adams will not fool anybody with his doublespeak except, of course, his loyal supporters. It is a little bit hypocritical of us in the Republic to expect Unionists in Northern Ireland to sit with this mob when no party with any self respect here would touch them with a barge pole.
Nice try Pat, but the dogs in the street know that his whole walkout BS is to try and scupper support for SF, who will almost certainly play a big role in the next government in the Republic. I’ve never voted for them before, but i say let them try. They’re clearly committed to the peace process and won’t be pushed around. Maybe they will actually manage to strike a better deal for the average citizen. This fiasco may be beneficial to SF as it offers a platform to redouble its commitments to peace. I suspect that this ‘crisis’ may backfire on these who created it. Not looking at anyone DUP, FG.
Even Unionists are nonplussed by this, well the ones who aren’t frothing at the gills over Irish Catholics in a Govt. building.
It is a non-crisis crisis but people see that the game has to be played so the DUP can fend off the UUP who are trying to make a name for themselves.
Tap you are lying to yourself dude and thats really sad…you know as well as anyone that this was contrived and so does everyone else…
these people are elected and overpaid to govern.any time there is trouble the call in the two governments,and yet they want to govern themselves. it they cannot do the job step aside and let someone that can in.
How is home rule treating the shinners today?
SF in government brings absolute chaos, that is now perfectly evident for all the people of the republic to see
On the contrary, Wiggle – it has shown the absolute opposite, the last few days of “manufactured outrage” designed to hurt Sinn Fein, has probably handed them another 50,000 votes, way to go lads, shooting yourselves in the foot again
why are they so upset so :D
They are not upset, they are leaving that to you, the keyboard warriors, you are the ones throwing rattles out of prams this morning, not them.
still no crisis? its getting tragic now from the shinners :D
You’re wasting your time Pearse Kenneth/Mr. Mr. Gilhooley/Billy Wiggle/Gerry’s Beard is a troll, as you can see spams the forum with nonsense.
Agreed LesBehan – He is getting boring and predictable now, an absolute joke of a commenter – so focused
on producing bile at this stage, that people are ignoring him, a body can only take so much BS before the mind closes down to it, he`ll be back to answer it in a minute with more pathetic, manufactured bile
Eat shit and die kenny
Nothing more than converged common interest in Republic’s 2016 GE by Unionists and FG/LB/FF. Imagining SF in government is unpalatable. So why not go to the playbook that is dusted up every GE to wise the public up to the SF oul IRA origins n deep umbilical cord connections? It has always scared the beejaysus outta voters in the Republic. Will it work this time though? I don’t think so..not as effectively anyway, judging by new voting demographics, independent news and opinion sources available to younger voters now. In fact even if SF owns up to IRA existence, loads of Irish younger voters will see that to be cool. It is the equivalent of Corbynism over here. A new badge of honour to stick it up to the political elites and their hapless parties..loads would have love to hear Pearse and Gerry Adams say ‘feck off’ to grand old ECB Trichet when he made the bomb warning call to Noony n Endy…
Riiiiight Gerry. As always SF have no questions to answer.
They are the real victims here.
The Queen of England is the Queen of bullshit.
The Queen of Ireland is the the the bullshitter Gerry Adams.
time for the old guard to retire on both sides,get new people in.
have your say