Louth TD calls for tougher penalties after River Glyde fish kill
Ged Nash presses for stronger sanctions after massive fish kill in Louth
Louth TD Ged Nash has called for tougher penalties for those responsible for serious water pollution incidents following the devastating fish kill on the River Glyde.
Raising the issue in the Dáil, Deputy Nash said the destruction of an estimated 20,000 fish and 25km of river habitat in mid-Louth amounted to “ecocide” and argued that existing sanctions are failing to deter polluters. He pointed to previous cases around the country where major fish kills resulted in relatively small fines, describing current penalties as inadequate.
Responding on behalf of the Government, Minister of State Timmy Dooley acknowledged the scale of the environmental damage on the Glyde and agreed that the current fines and enforcement regime are not proportionate to the harm caused.
He said an investigation by Inland Fisheries Ireland is ongoing and that a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Minister Dooley praised local anglers and members of the Dee and Glyde Fishing Development Association for their swift response, noting that it was an angler who first alerted authorities to the pollution incident. He said Inland Fisheries Ireland was able to identify and stop the discharge within hours, limiting what could have been even greater damage.
The Minister of State also revealed that he has asked both Inland Fisheries Ireland and the Environmental Protection Agency to review existing legislation and recommend stronger penalties. He said the Government is moving towards modernising inland fisheries laws to ensure fines and sanctions provide an effective deterrent against environmental pollution.
In a closing contribution, Deputy Nash highlighted an EU environmental crime directive that provides for prison sentences of up to eight years in serious cases of habitat destruction and urged the Government to ensure Irish law reflects the gravity of major pollution incidents.