State shells out €700,000 to clean up lagoon that is green with algae
The Government has allocated €700,000 to restore the ecological health of Ireland’s largest saltwater lagoon, which has turned green.
The level of algae pollution from nutrient run-off in Lady’s Island Lake in Co Wexford has turned it the sickly colour.
The lagoon surrounds Our Lady’s Island, an area of pilgrimage, and has secured legal protection as a habitat for wildfowl.
Pic: Niall Carson/PA Wire
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said the lake was ‘severely degraded’ due to overflows of nitrogen and possibly phosphorus, commonly used as agricultural fertilisers.
The EPA said Lady’s Island Lake ‘exemplifies’ the problems involved in managing Irish lagoons and said, even if the run-off issue was addressed, nutrients in the sediments could continue to affect its ecology.
Yesterday, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne and Minister of State Christopher O’Sullivan, visited the lake and met officials from Wexford County Council.
Pic: Niall Carson/PA Wire
The €700,000 in funding for the council aims to support the development of a Water Quality Management Plan for Lady’s Island and to project manage a holistic approach to improve the water quality.
This includes moves to address excess nutrients from agriculture, domestic waste-water treatment (septic tanks) and urban waste-water treatment plants entering the lake.
The politicians also met officials from the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Local Authority Waters Programme, Teagasc, representatives from Farming for Water EIP (European Innovation Partnership) and the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP) who are advancing plans to address the deterioration of the lagoon’s water and ecology.
Pic: Niall Carson/PA Wire
Mr Browne said: ‘The €700,000 in funding I am announcing this morning will resource Wexford County Council to coordinate a response among the Government departments, state bodies and the local community in Lady’s Island.
‘I am confident that by continuing to work collaboratively, using all the tools available to us through my department’s funding of initiatives under the Water Action Plan, the Nitrates Action Plan, Uisce Éireann’s capital investment plan and the National Biodiversity Plan, serious improvements can be made here at Lady’s Island.
‘Whilst the additional funding announced today will support Wexford County Council’s coordinating role, significant funding and support for the restoration of Lady’s Island is already under way through the programmes such as those run by LAWPRO through catchment science and local community engagement; National Agricultural Inspection Programme (NAIP) inspectors in the local authorities, who are responsible for investigating farm compliance with the Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) Regulations; free advisory services through the ASSAP programme and direct support for supplementary measures to improve water quality, through the Farming for Water EIP.’
Mr O’Sullivan said that progress had been made since the establishment of the oversight group in July.
‘The group has quickly come together to identify the specific response required for Lady’s Island, using the principle of implementing “the right measure in the right place”.
‘The combined strengths of the agencies involved and collaborative initiatives such as the Farming for Water EIP is vital for effective, holistic action for Lady’s Island Lake.
‘It may take some time to see the results of those inputs and effort, but the commitment of the stakeholders involved and the local community here is clear to see and I look forward to being kept appraised of progress.’
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