The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy will travel to Wexford today (Friday, May 15) for an off-site meeting to examine the progress at Lady’s Island Lake, Co Wexford.
The committee, chaired by Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí, has previously published its report on their examination of the Environmental Protection Agency’s research study, which highlighted the serious state of the coastal lagoon, mainly due to elevated nitrogen levels.
The report, entitled ‘Coastal Lagoons: Ecology and Restoration (CLEAR) Report on Our Lady’s Island Lake’, made seven recommendations that the authors considered essential to the long-term restoration of the lake.
The meeting in the Wexford County Council’s offices on Friday at 10 am will be in 2 sessions and will hear from:
Session 1
10:00 - 11:30
- Strategic Oversight Group for Lady's Island Lake
Session 2
11:30 - 12:30
- Save Lady's Island Lake Campaign Group
- Lady’s Island Lake Drainage Committee
Ó Muirí said: “Our committee published our report on the examination of the Environmental Protection Agency’s research study on Our Lady’s Island Lake last year.”
“In the report, we recommended that a new set of regulations, standards and practices for farming near large water-bodies be developed to halt environmental decline and ensure their long-term protection,” Ó Muirí said.
“The continuing ecological crisis taking place at Lady’s Island Lake in Co Wexford is a devastating example of environmental decline in Ireland today. For over forty years, the situation has continued to deteriorate despite the efforts of the local community.”
“We will take the opportunity of speaking to those attending on Friday to get an update on the situation at the Lake and what exactly they see needs to be implemented in order to alleviate the circumstances both in the short and long term.
You can read the Committee's Report on Lady’s Lake here.
Committee proceedings can be viewed online via the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.
