Minutes of 18th Meeting of the WFD Co-ordination Group,
29 May 2003 held in Custom House, Dublin 1
Attended: Mr. John Sadlier (DEHLG)
Mr. Pat Duggan (DEHLG)
Mr. Andy Bogie (DEHLG)
Dr. Liz Sides (DEHLG)
Mr. Jim Ryan (DEHLG)
Dr. Paul Toner (EPA)
Mr. Larry Stapleton (EPA)
Dr. Micheal Lehane (EPA)
Dr. Garrett Kilroy (EPA –TCD)
Mr. Philip Mc Mahon (DCMNR)
Mr. Micheal Ó Cinnéide (MI)
Ms. Jacqui Doyle (MI)
Mr. Trevor Champ (CFB)
Mr. Edmund Dunlop (LGCSB)
Ms. Tara Kerins (LGCSB)
Mr. Matt Sinnott (DAF)
Mr. Tom Leahy (Dublin City
Council -ERBMP)
Mr. Enda Thompson (SRBMP)
Mr. Sean Ó Breasail (Cork County
Council)
Ms. Máire Ní Chionna (Galway
County Council)
Dr. Colin Byrne (Carlow County
Council – SERBD)
Apologies: Mr. Gerry Flannery (DEHLG)
Ms. Beatrice Kelly (Heritage
Council)
Ms. Margaret Keegan (EPA)
Ms. Rosanna Nolan (Waterways
Ireland)
Mr. Tom Bolger (OPW)
Dr. Greg Forde (WRFB)
Mr. Donal Daly (GSI)
Mr. Tom Tarpey (Limerick County
Council)
1. Adoption of the Agenda: The draft agenda was adopted.
2. Minutes of the 17th Meeting: Minutes were adopted subject to minor amendments.
3. Matters Arising from the Minutes: Dr. Sides asked when the SEA Directive is likely to be transposed into
Irish law. Mr. Sadlier undertook to make inquiries in this regard.
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Dr. Toner asked if there any ecological symbols available for download
from the private website. Ms. Kerins said the list is ongoing and
additional ecological symbols will be added in the future.
Mr. Stapleton invited Co-ordination Group Members to a meeting of the
National Environment Monitoring Programme for Transition, Coastal and
Marine Waters, which will be held at the EPA Regional Inspectorate,
Clonskeagh Road on Thursday 12 June 2003. Mr. Bogie will circulate the
invitation via email to the Group Members.
Mr. Ó Cinnéide circulated a Marine Institute – EPA Draft Publication
‘Celtic Voyager Survey – An Assessment of the Environmental Quality of
Coastal and Estuarine Waters around Ireland’.
4. Report on 1st Meeting of the Characterisation Group (WFD: art.5)
Dr. Lehane said the objective of the Working Group was to develop and
report a consolidated and consistent approach for characterisation of
rive basin districts. The EU Guidance Documents on Characterisation will
be examined in an Irish Context. A common national approach will be
developed that can be used by all River Basin Management Projects.
A short discussion followed concerning the practicalities of
characterisation. Mr. Duggan said the whole point of the group was to
develop a ‘thinking process’ that could be used to bring forward the work
done at a European Level.
Mr. Sinnott said that the Working
representation from Agriculture.
Group
should
have
some
Dr. Lehane said that he would liaise with DAF with a vie to securing such
representation.
Mr. Duggan said that it is critical that a good judgement call is made on
monitoring. Assessments are to be made using the best available
information,
5. Report on 1st Meeting of the Public Participation Group (WFD:
art.5)
Mr. Sadlier said that the first meeting was held on 18 May 03 and
circulated the Draft Minutes (the final version of the minutes will be
made available on the website). The question of public participation
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involves complex and sensitive issues and the group is compiling
information in relation to existing partnership structures. The next
meeting will be held in the afternoon following this meeting of Coordination Group. The NGO’s VOICE and Birdwatch Ireland have been
invited on an informal basis to the afternoon meeting.
Mr. Sadlier said that VOICE had submitted proposals to DEHLG for
funding a full time co-ordinator to support eNGOs participating in the
implementation of the WFD. The proposals are being considered by
DEHLG.
Dr. Byrne said that there would be a workshop on public participation in
the South East on 14 June 2003. Dr. Byrne said the outcome of the
workshop will be reported to the working group.
6. North-South Activities Update (WGWQ, NS-TAG)
Mr. Duggan said the next meeting of NS-TAG would be held on 18 June
2003. At this Meeting the Group will finalise and agree the draft
consultants brief for the Joint N-S Characterisation Project. Following
agreement the draft brief will be submitted to the NS-WGWQ for
approval. The project will cost an estimated €8 million and will provide
classification tools for fresh and marine waters that will be able to be
used across the whole island of Ireland. INTERREG IIIA funding support
will be sought.
Mr. O’ Cinnéide said that the N-S project appears to indicate a funding
imbalance with the projects in the South.
Mr. Sadlier said that DEHLG has committed significant resources to the
River Basin Management Projects and it is a matter for all agencies to
identify and provide the appropriate resources to meet their obligations
under the Directive.
Mr. Duggan said that the whole island of Ireland lies within a single eco region and any benefits coming from projects on a North South basis
would benefit projects in the South.
A short discussion followed and it was suggested that a costing exercise
should be embarked upon in order to estimate the total resource
requirement for the timely implementation of the WFD.
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Mr. Sadlier emphasised that each public authority is responsible for
resourcing and discharging it own functions under the WFD.
Consideration will be given in DEHLG to a broad-based costing exercise
for WFD implementation.
There has been no meeting of the NS-WGWQ since the last meeting of
the Co-ordination Group. The meeting was originally for the 1 May 2003
but the date has now to be rescheduled.
7. UK Developments
The next meeting of UK TAG will be held in the Custom House, Dublin on
5 June 2003. Mr. Duggan said the Group are working very much on the
same issues as the Co-ordination Group and some of the work set to
emerge from the Group will be very useful for Ireland. Mr. Duggan will
attend the UK TAG Meeting as an observer.
8. River Basin Management Projects
Western River Basin Management Project
Approval is expected soon.
South Western River Basin Management Project
Proposals are being developed and DEHLG are currently considering the
final draft of the consultants brief. The first Steering Group meeting
will be held on 17 June 2003.
South Eastern River Basin Management Project
Dr. Byrne said the draft characterisation report was reviewed at the
most recent meeting of the Management Group. Interviews are now
taking place for the post of chemist. A public participation workshop will
be held on 14 June 2003.
Shannon River Basin Management Project
Mr. Thompson said the revised work programme for the Characterisation
Report is underway. The SRMBP public information website is up and
running and any feedback on its design, format etc would be appreciated.
The first meeting of the SRMBP Management Group will be held on 4
June 2003.
Eastern River Basin Management Project
The project was approved in April 2003 and commencement is imminent.
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9. Next Meeting
Thursday 17 July 2003 at the North Star Hotel, Amiens Street, Dublin 1.
10. AOB
− New Groundwater Directive (WFD: art.5)
The EU Commission has indicated that a formal proposal for a Directive
on groundwater will be available in July 2005.
Mr. Stapleton made available copies of the new EPA interim report
‘Towards Setting Guideline Values for the Protection of Groundwaters in
Ireland’. Further copies of this report can be obtained from EPA (Mr.
Stapleton or Ms. Keegan).
− Proposed New Bathing Water Directive
The European Parliament will have the first reading of the proposed
directive in September/October 2003. Member States have indicated a
wide range of issues of concern in relation to the proposed Directive.
− Public Participation
Mr Sadlier asked the Group to consider for discussion at the next
meeting of the Co-ordination Group the inclusion NGO representatives of
in the National Co-ordination Group. This will be an agenda item at the
next meeting.
− Economic Analysis
Dr. Kilroy is carrying out a research fellowship to test the EU Guidance
Documents on the Shannon River Basin District. One of the Guidance
Documents being tested is Economic Analysis. Economic Analysis is a
requirement under Article 5 of the WFD. Dr. Kilroy will initiate a
desktop study under the ERTDI Programme. The study will begin in June
2003 and is expected to take two months.
Mr. Sadlier said that DEHLG are still considering the best approach to
deliver economic analysis on a consistent national basis, which can be
readily incorporated in to work being developed by RBM projects.
The meeting concluded at 12.45pm.
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