Council scientist accused of 'farmer bashing' over Laois river quality findings

A Laois councillor has accused a council scientist of "farmer bashing" after hearing damning statistics that show agricultural activity is the biggest pressure on river water quality in Laois.

A scientific study carried out by Laois County Council has found found that just 14% of Laois rivers are in high condition, while the greatest pressure on water quality is attributed to agriculture at over 43%.

In a presentation given to the February meeting of Laois County Council, scientist Ann Marie Callan told councillors why.

"The most significant is agriculture and that is to be expected because a lot of the land is agriculture. It is not surprising because of the growing dairy herd and the number of new applications. The more farms, the more pressure on water quality.

"We have to reach good or high status by 2027," Ms Callan said.

Cllr Willie Aird, himself a dairy farmer in Portlaoise, told the scientist she was "farmer bashing".

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"This is disappointing. That's farmer bashing. They invested a huge amount of money. I don't like it when you come out with that. On behalf of all my farming colleagues, when something like that happens in a council chamber," he said.

Other councillors focused on asking the scientist to dredge silt and vegetation out of rivers so they can take more flood water, a practice that requires numerous environmental licences and is only permitted in summer to limit damage to ecology.

"There are too many rules required. If rivers were cleaned without all this red tape there wouldn't be stagnant water," Cllr John King said.

"What about farmers' land destroyed by flooding? I'm all for the environment but you are worried about tiny microbes and plankton, not people's livelihoods. Every other county dredges rivers. They are completely clogged, fish don't swim in them," claimed Cllr Aisling Moran.

Ms Callan explained that machinery also damages ecology in rivers.

"When you go into a river with machinery it disturbs ecology and affects the water," she said, suggesting silt traps to prevent silt from digging drains entering rivers in the first place. 

"It's about working with the environment in the best way so it is best for the farmer and ecology," she said.

She said that there will be a focus on nature based solutions such as meandering land drains. Septic tank inspections will also be carried out. 

Cllr Paddy Bracken urged that the public wastewater network in Mountmellick be extended to take in homes in the town that have old septic tanks.

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"There are 40 or 50 tanks polluting the river, you know this. We as a council got no funding," he said.

Rivers at risk around the council include the Owenass, Triogue, Delour, Tonet, Mountrath river, Erkina, Goul, Gully, River Ballyroan, Stradbally River and Douglas river.

The highest quality rivers include the Barrow near the Slieve Bloom Mountains and Clonaslee.

Just 14% of Laois rivers are in High condition, while 15% are at the lowest grade of Poor condition.

Almost half the county's waterways are in Good condition at 44%, while 27% are a step down, in Moderate position.

Commercial forestry was next at 11.9%. Hydromorphology was next at 10.4%, which means damage to habitats caused by changing the natural function of a river by dredging, straightening or adding dams or walls. 

Down the list of damage to clean rivers and river life, are urban waste water, urban run-off, mining, domestic wastewater, anthropogenic (human activity) pressures, abstractions and finally invasive species (1.5%).

The study is Laois' part of a Draft River Basin Management Plan for Ireland 2022 - 2027. Laois County Council is to be resourced so that staff can protect water quality. 

The public are invited to view and make submissions to the national draft plan before March 31. See the website here.