asked the Minister for the Environment, in relation to the proposal to pump sewage from Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin to the Pigeon House across the floor of Dublin Bay, whether his Department has been consulted in the matter; whether he promised to make any money available by way of grants to assist the project; and, in particular, (1) the effect on the green algae that at present grows in the inner bay with the increased nutrients from the outflow; (2) the effects of the increased outflow from Pigeon House on the immediate bay, in particular Sandymount and Dollymount Strands; (3) whether the proposed pipeline will be buried from Dún Laoghaire to Pigeon House or laid along the bottom; (4) in view of the proposed EC legislation banning sludge dumping at sea, his Department's proposal on dealing with the sludge at Pigeon House; (5) his Department's plans, if any, on piping outflow further out into the bay; (6) the reasons for pumping the sewage to Pigeon House rather than the many other alternatives available; (7) whether the proposals will be in line with the water management plan for Dublin Bay which is shortly to be published, and, (8) whether any independent study or report has been commissioned on the issue, and its results.

35.

asked the Minister for the Environment if the contract documents for the proposed marine pipeline to convey sewage from Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin to Ringsend treatment plant, which is urgently needed to reduce pollution in Dublin Bay, have yet been approved; when it is expected that work on the pipeline will commence; when it will be completed; the most recent information available to his Department on pollution levels in Dublin Bay; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 35 together.

I have approved Dún Laoghaire Corporation's proposals to deal with the inadequate sewerage system serving the area by connecting the Dún Laoghaire system to the Ringsend treatment plant via a pipeline laid across the bay and below the seabed. The treatment capacity at Ringsend has recently been doubled, and is more than adequate to cater for the maximum loading from Dún Laoghaire which should increase the present loading by no more than 10 per cent. The project will ultimately eliminate all untreated sewage discharges to the sea along the entire Dún Laoghaire coastline and will thus ensure an improvement in the water quality of the bay. At the same time, I am advised that, taking account of the more efficient treatment now available at Ringsend, there should be no increase in the level of nutrients in the treated outflow over that of recent years. Similarly, the new project should have little or no effect on Dollymount and Sandymount strands. There will, however, be a considerable improvement in water quality at the southern end of Sandymount strand and in the BlackrockDún Laoghaire areas. In these circumstances, I am satisfied that the new arrangements represent the best practicable environmental option at this time for improving water quality in the bay.

Extensive surveys of Dublin Bay carried out in recent years on behalf of the Dublin local authorities indicate that the waters of the bay are relatively free from pollution. However, Dublin Corporation are already giving preliminary consideration to what further measures may be necessary or desirable in the longer term to improve their sewerage treatment and disposal facilities. Any measures of this kind will, of course, have to be determined in the context of the water quality management plan which is being prepared for Dublin Bay.

Tenders for the pipeline contract have recently been submitted to my Department and I expect to be in a position to give a decision on the proposal very soon. I would expect construction work to commence in the spring and the actual laying of the pipeline to be completed during the summer of 1989.