Uisce Éireann chief summoned to meet Environment Minister Eamon Ryan over second major fish kill in a year

The water utility’s chief executive Niall Gleeson has been summoned to a meeting by Environment Minister Eamon Ryan to discuss what Mr Ryan called a “completely unacceptable, avoidable incident” at the Freemount facility in Co Cork.

Thousands of fish were killed along a 4km stretch of the River Allow in the north of the county which runs directly beside the water treatment plant.

Uisce Éireann admitted there had been a spillage of a chemical, polyaluminium chloride (PAC) from the plant last weekend.

It contaminated a Special Area of Conservation and killed at least 5,000 fish, including juvenile Atlantic salmon which have suffered dramatic population decline as well as brown trout, lamprey, eel, stone loach, roach and dace.

It is the second such ­incident in just over a year. A similar chemical spillage from the ­Ennistymon water treatment plant killed thousands of fish in the ­Ballymacraven River in Co Clare in May 2023.

Mr Ryan referenced the Ennistymon incident in his letter to Mr Gleeson, saying he was concerned about the incidents at a time when there was “significant pressure on Ireland’s native fish stocks”.

He noted that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had audited the Freemount plant in August 2022 following a discharge of sludge to the River Allow.

The audit found sludge was not being adequately managed at the plant and the appropriate authorities were not properly alerted to the incident.

The EPA left Uisce Éireann with a list of nine works to be ­carried out to address the problems.

Mr Ryan said in his letter to Mr Gleeson that he wanted a full investigation of the fresh incident “immediately”.

“In addition, we need to have full account of the specific systemic remedial action that Uisce Éireann took at the Freemount Water Treatment Plant following the last discharge, and if such action was taken, we need to know why another discharge has now happened so soon after, resulting in this very significant fish kill on the River Allow.”

In a statement, Uisce Éireann said it had completed eight of the nine works recommended by the EPA while the final recommendation was being progressed.

“We can confirm that none of these recommendations related to the issue which occurred in recent days,” it said.

It added it had completed a clean-up operation following last weekend’s PAC spillage.

“Uisce Éireann fully recognises the seriousness of this incident and we immediately informed the relevant bodies and are co-operating fully with Inland Fisheries Ireland in relation to their investigation of this incident.

“The EPA and National Parks & Wildlife Service were also notified.

“Detailed investigations are ongoing and additional remedial works are being undertaken at the plant to ensure no further discharge will occur.”

It said Mr Ryan’s request to meet Mr Gleeson had been received and contact had been made with his department to arrange a suitable time.