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Irish Independent
23-04-2025
- Irish Independent
Firms in court over river pollution that threatened fish and sensitive habitats
The four separate incidents took place in rivers that provide vital spawning or feeding grounds for the country's dwindling freshwater fish stocks. Despite the seriousness of the incidents, however, the fines, charitable donations and legal costs the culprits were ordered to pay came to less than €20,000 in total. The cases were finalised in recent weeks or months following investigations by staff in IFI's western region. One involved the construction company, BAM, which allowed a load of silt to escape into the Drumcliff River and Collinsford Stream in Co Sligo, turning the waters milky brown. The incident took place at a roadworks site on the N16 at Lugatober in April 2024 where BAM was overseeing realignment works. The judge at Sligo District Court applied the Probation Act and ordered the company to pay €1,000 donation to a community organisation as well as costs of €6,393 to IFI. A second case involved Gilvarry Farming Ltd which allowed silage effluent to flow into a tributary of the Cloonaghmore River in Co Mayo, an important salmon and trout habitat. Ballina District Court heard the incident at Lisglennon, Killala placed further strain on a river that was already struggling from a conservation perspective. The farm also received the benefit of the Probation Act on condition that it donated €2,000 to IFI's salmon and sea trout protection fund and paid €2,000 costs and expenses to IFI. In another case, the Tullynamoyle Windfarm in Co Leitrim was prosecuted for a silt flow into a tributary of the River Bonet at Lisnagowan. Sligo District Court heard the river was a sensitive habitat where fishing was only permitted on a catch-and-release basis as IFI worked to revive declining salmon stocks. The pollution caused by the silt flow posed a serious threat to the river. The company was convicted and ordered to pay a fine and costs amount to €4,900. A plant hire company, Norris Plant Hire, as given the benefit of the Probation Act and ordered to give €1,000 to a charity and pay €1,000 in costs to IFI arising out of a related incident at the same location. Mary Walsh IFI's western region director said afterwards that IFI was determined to protect the country's rivers. 'This pollution was needless and avoidable,' she said, "Environmental damage such as this impacts water quality and freshwater fish and their habitats. 'Landowners should all pay due respect to the surrounding environment they work in.' A landmark report published by IFI late last year chronicled pollution incidents since 1969, finding they resulted in an average of 40 fish kills a year, with the casualties at times running into the thousands in a single incident.
Agriland
23-04-2025
- Agriland
Plant hire company and windfarm prosecuted for pollution of Leitrim river
Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has today (Wednesday, April 23) confirmed two separate prosecutions against a wind farm and a plant hire company for the pollution of a river in Co. Leitrim. The IFI said both pollution incidents occurred within the Bonet River and Belhavel Lough catchment in Co. Leitrim. According to the IFI the specific location of the incidents was at Lisnagowan. One of the incidents involved Tullynamoyle Windfarm 5 Ltd in January 2024. The windfarm was found to have caused 'silt to flow into a tributary of the River Bonet'. At a hearing at Sligo District Court on February 24, 2025 Tullynamoyle Windfarm 5 Ltd was instructed to pay a fine of €3,500, and €1,400 in costs and expenses to IFI. River Bonet According to Mary Walsh, IFI Western region director (Ballina) the Bonet river 'is a sensitive habitat and is under environmental pressure'. 'The fishery is only open on a catch-and-release basis due to declining salmon stocks there. 'This was a significant pollution incident which potentially impacted the water quality, and posed a serious threat to our natural environment and fish populations,' she added. Separately IFI also prosecuted a plant hire company after a discharge of sediment entered the Bonet River system. The incident, which took place in January 2024, happened at Lisnagowan within the Bonet River and Belhavel Lough catchment in Co. Leitrim. At a hearing at Sligo District Court on Monday, February 24, 2025, Norris Plant Hire Limited was 'given the benefit of the Probation Act and ordered to give a contribution of €1,000 to a charity, and also pay costs/expenses of €1,000 to IFI'. IFI is urging people to report water pollution, fish kills, or issues of concern in their local rivers/lakes to its confidential 24/7 number, 0818 34 74 24.
Agriland
22-04-2025
- Agriland
IFI prosecutes farming firm for ‘polluting' Co. Mayo river
A farming firm has been prosecuted by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) for the pollution of a river in Co. Mayo. IFI said today (Tuesday, April 22) that it welcomed the ruling delivered at Ballina District Court that Gilvarry Farming Limited had caused silage effluent to flow into a tributary of the Cloonaghmore River. The court heard that an incident had occurred on October 26, 2023 and of the impact the contamination had on the river, 'which was already under pressure from an environmental perspective'. The incident occurred at Lisglennon, Killala, Co. Mayo. During the case, which was heard at Ballina District Court on February 25, 2025, the court was also informed of the 'very poor condition of the farm at the time, which led to the discharge of silage effluent'. IFI Mary Walsh,IFI Western region director(Ballina), said: 'This pollution was needless and avoidable. 'Landowners should all pay due respect to the surrounding environment they work in. 'IFI is working hard to protect the salmon and trout populations on the Cloonaghmore river, and it is vital that the river's good water quality is maintained and protected'. IFI Walsh also said that the latest prosecution is part of IFI's 'very determined efforts to protect the State's rivers, streams, and lakes.' Gilvarry Farming Limited was ordered to pay a donation of €2,000 to IFI's Salmon and Sea Trout Rehabilitation, Conservation and Protection Fund, in addition to paying costs and expenses of €2,000 to IFI. The company was given the benefit of the Probation Act because it had carried out, what the court heard was, 'extraordinary' work to prevent a similar future occurrence, and did not have any previous convictions. IFI is urging people to report water pollution or issues of concern in their local rivers and lakes to its confidential 24/7 number, 0818 34 74 24.
