THE Environmental Protection Agency was criticised yesterday by the Irish director of Greenpeace, Ms Clare O'Grady Walshe.
Speaking at a debate in the RDS on the state of Ireland's environment, Ms O'Grady Walshe claimed there was little confidence in the pollution control licensing system being applied to industry by the EPA, which she said was under resourced.
This was against the broader background of "a crisis of confidence in relation to environmental protection".
The quantifiable loss of "river length" to pollution and in particular deterioration of the Shannon system indicated environmental failure, she said. "It would not be so critical except that system is used for drinking water by 500,000 people."
The EPA director, Dr Anne Butler, said Greenpeace wished to paint a picture of gross pollution in Ireland which was not justified. There had been an increase in "moderate pollution" in recent years but there was a decline in "significant pollution".
The EPA had adequate powers and was in the process of licensing industry, which was being given time to come up to standard.
About 120 industries had been subjected to Integrated Pollution Control licences. She estimated that 600 to 800 operations would be subject to IPC. Industry was "fairly well regulated" while the vast majority of water problems were due to overintensification of farming.
The EPA's performance was defended by Dr Mary Kelly, IBEC's environment executive. She told the debate, at the Irish Water Waste & Environment 97 show, that the agency was set up because the public had lost confidence in local authorities and was "an extremely competent group".
Farmers were committed to generating high quality food in the right environment, according to the IFA vice president Mr Michael Slattery.
The Irish Times Environment Correspondent, Mr Frank McDonald, noted, however, that over application of fertiliser - £25 million worth a year - was, with raw sewage discharges, contributing to eutrophication of water systems, particularly in Lough Derg which has become "a virtual slump for the River Shannon".
Irish people, he said, continue to be detached towards the pollution they themselves cause, while politicians, despite strong commitments to environmental policies, were reluctant to apply fully "the polluter pays" principle. "Dropping water charges shows how tenuous the commitment to environmental policies is."
