This article is from page 11 of the 2006-10-17 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 11 JPG
CLARE County Council is investigating claims that a leading Irish cruise boat company has told customers to dump toilet waste directly into the River Shannon.
A letter was sent to the Emerald Star cruise hire firm last month by a Dublin customer of the Carrick-on-Shannon based company. The documented was also circulated to local authorities with responsibility for the Shannon and Lough Derg, including Clare County Council, although it is not clear by whom.
It details observations and complaints about the company under a number of headings including service, cleanliness, training, equipment and health and safety. Under the last heading however, the author claims to have been told by staff to dump the contents of on board toilets into the Shannon.
“Having enquired about pump out stations for waste matter we were specifically instructed by our ‘trainer’ to dump the contents of our toilets directly into the Shannon. When I expressed disbelief and disgust at this, we were informed ‘everyone does it’.
“No instruction was given as to where to dump our waste, just dump it. Watching children swim and fish around me on the cruise, knowing what was in the water, sickened me.”
Clare County Council has confirmed it received the letter and the claims will be fully investigated and they will “take whatever action is deemed necessary.
An Emerald Star spokesman confirmed they are also investigating the claims including the allegation that a staff member issued instructions to dump toilet waste into the river.
“This matter is being investigated but we cannot comment on the contents of a letter between a private individual and the company. The wider issue of the disposal of waste and the provision pump-out stations is currently being discussed by a number of boating companies and Waterways Ireland. There are a large number of people involved in these talks including local authorities.”
Clare Green Party county councillor Brian Meaney said that he was horrified by the claim that people are advised to dump toilet waste into the Shannon.
“This is a horror story and should be investigated thoroughly by all the relevant authorities. This is the second representation in relation to sewage being dumped into the Shannon I have received. We have to remember that everything that goes into the river upstream comes down into Lough Derg.”