Dublin, Cork and Dundalk have been "named and shamed" by the European Commission as having inadequate waste water treatment.
They were among 37 European towns and cities listed as part of a "name and shame" seminar on the EU's urban waste water directive of 1991. Many member-states have not complied with its provisions, the EU Environment Commissioner, Ms Margot Wallstrom, said. Based on data from December 1998, the EU seminar listed Dublin among the cities with more than 150,000 inhabitants with inadequate treatment. Cork and Dundalk were named as cities with more than 150,000 inhabitants without waste water treatment.
Ms Wallstrom said on RTE's Morning Ireland yesterday that "in some cases, progress could have been made since 1998".
Mr Matt Twomey, acting assistant city manager, said a full treatment works being built at Ringsend will meet all EU requirements.
He said the £120 million development will have secondary treatment with elements of tertiary treatment, which can be upgraded to full tertiary treatment if needed.
The EU reported: "Dundalk did not have any treatment on December 31st, 1998, but a secondary treatment plant was expected to become operational at the end of 2000."
Mr Frank Pentony, town clerk with Dundalk Urban District Council, said a £50 million waste water treatment scheme has been in operation in Dundalk since last December 15th. "Since then, no untreated water has been discharged by Dundalk urban district council," he said.
The EU said :"Cork also did not have any treatment plant for waste water on December 31st 1998. Secondary treatment is planned for the end of 2003."
Mr Joe Gavin, Cork city manager, said on Morning Ireland that "great progress" had been made on constructing the Carrigrennan sewage treatment plant, the final phase of the city's £200 million main drainage scheme. It would be operational by 2003, Mr Gavin said, and it had been designed for full tertiary treatment if this was needed in future.
The EU also said: "In view of the eutrophication of the coastal waters and estuaries in this location, the Commission believes that the city of Cork should introduce tertiary treatment of nitrogen and phosphorus".
Fine Gael said the Government should be "ashamed of the fact that yet again Ireland has been named by the EU for criticism of our tardiness in acting to protect our coastal and estuarine waters".
Ms Deirdre Clune TD, Fine Gael spokeswoman on the environment, said: "Clearly the target emission levels for discharge are not low enough, as outlined by the Commissioner, and Ireland must set a higher rate for protecting the quality of our waters."
A Cork Green Party councillor, Mr Dan Boyle, said the naming of Cork "should not be swept under the carpet or pretended it will be dealt with when the Carrigrennan sewage treatment plant comes into operation in 2003".
He said Cork Corporation needs to be "proactive in discouraging the production of pollution that is causing this problem".