WRITTEN QUESTION E-0363/04 by Proinsias De Rossa (PSE) to the Commission. Complaint P2000/4974.
Date: 2004-02-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Ireland, complaint to the Commission, environmental impact, impact study, urban renewal

C 84 E/376

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

Galway, microbiological contamination of and high aluminium levels in the Troyswood public water
supply in Kilkenny and the appearance of algal blooms in Lough Guitane, a drinking water source in
County Kerry. The most serious, persistent problem with Irish public water supplies consists of
microbiological contamination. This has affected a significant number of public water supplies, including
those at Carraroe and Troyswood, although the gravest problems are found in private Irish supplies. It is
Ireland (1). The Commission has been in
the subject of a decision of
communication with the Irish authorities with a view to ensuring that problems of microbiological
contamination are brought to an end and that the Court judgement is addressed as soon as possible. The
issue of fluoridation did not figure in these petitions, and it has not been raised with the Irish authorities.

Justice against

the Court of

The new Drinking Water Directive (2) sets quality standards in particular for microbiological
3.
parameters, aluminium and fluorides, based on available scientific evidence, advice from the Commission’s
Scientific Advisory Committee Toxicology of Chemical compounds (CSTE) and in line with the values
recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) (3). The values set are also in line with the most
recent documents by WHO dating from 2003.

The Commission is proactively following developments in the drinking water sector, and organised, in
October 2003, a seminar on drinking water. This seminar brought together a range of experts from across
the European Union including new Member States as well as the WHO, from universities, administrations
and agencies, water suppliers and industry as well as non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and
inter alia, the issues of microbiological and chemical parameters (including fluoride). For
addressed,
fluoride values it has been recognized that the current value of 1,5 milligrammes per litre (mg/l)
is
sufficiently protective, and that a lower value of 1,0 mg/l could be recommended for artificially fluoridated
drinking water. At the same time there has been general agreement that there was no urgent need to
change the 1998 Directive.

(1) Commission v Ireland, Case C-316/00, judgement of 14 November 2003.
(2) Council Directive 98/83/EC of 3 November 1998 on the quality of water intended for human consumption,

OJ L 330, 5.12.1998.

(3) Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality, current 2nd edition (Geneva, 1993-1997), as well as draft 3rd edition

(Geneva, 2003).

(2004/C 84 E/0436)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0363/04

by Proinsias De Rossa (PSE) to the Commission

(12 February 2004)

Subject: Complaint P2000/4974

Could the Commission indicate the state of play with regard to complaint No P2000/4974 relating to the
Environmental Impact Assessment concerning refurbishment proposals for Eyre Square, Galway? What
conclusions has it come to, and when does it expect to take a final decision in the matter?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(17 March 2004)

This complaint related to the absence of an environmental
for an urban
development project consisting of refurbishment works on Eyre Square, which is the principal square in
Galway. In 2003, the Irish authorities confirmed that an EIA had been undertaken for the project. On the
basis that no breach of Directive 85/337/EEC (1) could be identified, the complaint file was subsequently
closed.

impact assessment

(EIA)

(1) Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the
environment, OJ L 175, 5.7.1985, amended by Council Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997, OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.