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THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION has given Ireland two months to respond to a letter of formal notice over discharges of waste water from urban areas into sensitive environments and, in some cases, without adequate treatment.
A report by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last October outlined that over half of Ireland’s waste water discharges are not meeting EU standards.
The European Commission has announced today that it is opening an infringment procedure by sending a letter of formal notice to Ireland for failing to fully comply with its obligations set out in the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
The Directive aims to protect health and the environment by requiring that urban waste water is collected and treated before being discharged.
In Ireland, in eight areas with a population of more than 2,000 people, urban waste waters are not properly treated before being discharged, the Commission said today.
A further three areas with a population of more than 10,000 are discharging waste water into sensitive areas without the more stringent treatment as required by the Directive.
The Commission said it is now sending a letter of formal notice to Ireland.
Ireland now has two months to respond and address the shortcomings raised by the Commission.
The Commission said that in the absence of a satisfactory response, it may decide to issue a reasoned opinion.
The Department of Housing has said it is “currently examining the letter”.
According to the EPA’s Urban Waste Water Treatment in 2022 report, released today, 26 towns and villages in Ireland were discharging raw sewage daily up to the middle of last year.
Since then, new treatment plants have been completed at two of these location - Kerrykeel, Co Donegal and Liscannor, Co Clare.
The EPA said that Uisce Éireann has committed to eliminating raw sewage discharges from the majority of these towns and villages by 2025.
However, despite this, the EPA found that Uisce Éireann does not have clear plans to prevent pollution at some of the most significantly impacted water bodies in the country.
In October, Noteworthy, the investigative platform of The Journal, reported that there are almost 40 locations around Ireland where raw or poorly-treated sewage is discharged directly into the environment, in many cases negatively affecting bathing water quality.
Uisce Éireann has been contacted for comment.
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These people must not have seen AIB’s latest advertising campaign – theme “brave”, as it getting up early, sticking to the task and running your business. It appears AIB have become a river of lending to hard pressed sme’s and the farming community. A most disgraceful and dishonest ad campaign in my opinion.
All of the adds for banks are dishonest. They are all giving mortgages and loans to SMEs but in reality this is a charade. You only have to talk to solicitors who will tell you that clients are being turned down for mortgages for the flimsiest of excuses. The current advertising campaigns are to give the impression that everything is back to normal.
Makes you feel good that we bailed the banks out,doesn’t it!
” Brave ” how are you! You would need to be brave…and foolhardy….If you thought approaching the back might make a difference to your struggling. The economy continues to limp along for all those brave hearts at the bottom of the pile while those with large cash deposits get bigger and richer. Only a fool would believe the spin the government espouse. There is no recovery, there is no trickle down, there are still empty shop units all over the country. And it’s too late for lending, what’s needed are grants, vat and tax breaks, lower rates and a commitment to changing the upwards only rent reviews.
I am so glad someone else made reference to that ad! It’s awful condescending Shi*e. the absolute cheek of AIB to put out an ad like that. The voice over is an appalling choice. Completely out of touch with reality.
This is the sort of evidence out there that shows where our economy is truly at and not the crap that is spun by FG & Labour. You can’t tax the crap out of people to pay debt, run a high spend economy and expect growth.
If Morgan Kelly’s recent prediction is correct, the outstanding loans to small business, if called in by the banks, is the biggest threat to the economy.
The gov have been choosing public sector and bondholders over private sector. Every tax hike means a loss of business to a restaurant and most small service businesses out there. Then you have Nama forcing zombie businesses to compete with ligit ones. And if you have survived all that the local council will be gouging the business in return for very little. The Irish Economy seems to be using Atlas Shrugged as a strategic plan.
This is the sort of evidence out there that shows where our economy is truly at and not the crap that is spun by FG & Labour. You can’t tax the crap out of people to pay debt, run a high spend economy and expect growth.
What happened to businesses maintaining proper current ratios and acid test ratios to ensure their short term expenses are covered? The SME sector insisted on maxing out every line of credit they could possibly set their eyes on..and more.
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