By Dan Walsh
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD visited Our Lady’s Island this morning where he announced €700,000 in funding to support Wexford County Council’s coordinating role in restoring the ecological condition of the lake.
Minister Browne was joined by the Minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity Christopher O’Sullivan TD, Cllr Ger Carthy, Cathaoirleach Rosslare Municipal District, Cllr Joe Sullivan, Cathaoirleach Wexford County Council and other elected members including Cllr Frank Staples and officials from Wexford County Council, LAWPRO, NPWS, Teagasc and representatives from Farming for Water EIP and the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP) – all who are advancing plans to holistically address the deterioration of the saline lagoon’s water quality and ecology.
The tranche of €700,000 in funding to Wexford County Council will support the development of a Water Quality Management Plan for Our Lady’s Island and help to project manage their continued coordination of the holistic approach required to improve Our Lady’s Island, with measures required to address excess nutrients from agriculture, domestic waste water treatment plants (septic tanks) and urban waste water treatment plant(s) entering the lake.
This requires very close engagement between Wexford County Council, LAWPRO, the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory (ASSAP), the Farming for Water EIP and Uisce Éireann.
This combined response will harness the combined strength and expertise of these organisations and their staff to put in place actions to improve the lake’s condition.
WexfordLocal.com 