Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 July 2025
131. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department is aware of the Environmental Protection Agency's Coastal Lagoons: Ecology and Restoration Report; the actions his Department is taking of foot of it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36511/25]
View answerThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report was published in January 2025, the focus of which was to understand the extent to which Lady’s Island Lake is affected by over-enrichment of waters with nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus and to explain how this occurred.
The EPA’s findings indicate the lake is in poor ecological condition which is directly related to excess nitrogen input. This situation occurred in the period from the 1980's to the reporting period in 2019/2020.
The issue has been building for a considerable period of time, however the need to improve the situation is recognised as a priority.
Wexford County Council is leading development of an action plan to address the challenges the lake is facing. My Department is contributing to that action plan, and is committed to fully engaging with the local authority, all state agencies and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage as we seek to address the challenges facing Lady's Island Lake.
