Tallaght Wetlands – ‘Serious lessons have to be learned from this disaster’
By Mary Dennehy
PRESSURE is being mounted for a quick turn-around on an investigation into the spreading of silt on an area of wetlands in Sean Walsh Park, reports Mary Dennehy.
In the Dáil on Wednesday, the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Josepha Madigan said that her department is investigating the matter, and that she has been in touch with officials in South Dublin County Council.
Tallaght Wetlands four-foot-high silt pile
Officers from the National Parks and Wildlife Office are also due to visit the site and report back to the minister.
Speaking in the Dáil on Wednesday, Dublin South West TDs Sean Crowe (Sinn Féin) and John Lahart (Fianna Fáil) called for a quick turn-around on the investigation.
“It is time to move to the next stage from what was justifiable rage and disappointment,” Deputy Lahart said.
“We need to move to actionable items.”
Deputy Lahart stressed how local conservationists believe that there are mitigating measures that can be taken if done immediately.
Deputy Lahart also said that questions need to be answered as to how one arm of the council didn’t know what the other was doing.
Believing the incident to be “an issue of miscommunication”, Deputy Crowe stressed in the Dáil that “serious lessons have to be learned from this disaster.”
Locally, councillors are also seeking information from the council, with Solidarity councillor Kieran Mahon seeking answers on “the steps, if any, that can or will be taken to reduce damage and increase the chances of the area recovering over time”.
Cllr Mahon has also asked how the council will “ensure that all future works in the county are carried out with due respect to the local environment”.
In a statement released on Monday, South Dublin County Council said that it will “immediately review” the practice of the disposal of silt drained from lakes.
However, questions over the clarity of the council’s statement have been raised since Monday, with many seeking further details on how the silt ended up on the wetlands.
When contacted by The Echo the council confirmed that another statement is not being issued, as a review is being conducted and they await a report and recommendations.
