Fined for polluting Carrick river

Uisce Éireann was accused by a judge at Monaghan District Court of attempting to “pass the buck” in relation to pollution on the Proules River in south Monaghan last year.

The Dublin registered utility was fined €3,500, with three months to pay, and directed to meet €7,000 costs, when after pleading guilty to causing deleterious matter to fall into the Carrickmacross watercourse on August 21 2025, contrary to Section 171 of the Fisheries (Consolidation) Act 1959.

It was advanced in mitigation that the incident arose from “unprecedented levels” of grease, fat and oil from a business local premises, causing the local wastewater treatment plant to malfunction.

But Judge Raymond Finnegan said he saw “a lot of passing the buck”, adding that if Uisce Éireann had been carrying out the proper checks it would not have found itself before the court.

Replying to Jacqueline Maloney, solicitor on behalf of Inland Fisheries Ireland, Senior Environmental Officer Michella Kirrane said there had been an earlier incident of a discharge from the Carrickmacross wastewater treatment plant around this time.

On August 21, 2025, she inspected the Proules River - which appeared cloudy - and with a water meter established it was polluted.

The fisheries officer said she contacted Louise Dwyer at the treatment plant who said she’d get staff to investigate.

Ms Kirrane met plant caretaker Alan Hand and checked manholes with him to identify the pollution source. She found a surface water pipe in the townland of Mullinary which she traced back to the sewage entering the river.

A downstream sample showed BOD of 28.02 mgs per litre; over 5 indicates pollution. Another sample further downstream had 73.8 BOD, which was grossly polluted.

The following day she inspected the pipe and was satisfied the polluting had ceased. She spoke to Peadar McGuinness of Uisce Éireann who said there had been a build-up of oils, fat and grease at the pumping station.

Mr McGuinness said Monaghan council employed a contractor to carry out cleansing.

Ms Kirrane subsequently received a letter from Uisce Éireann outlining what caused the problem and mitigation measures put in place .

Replying to counsel for Uisce Éireann, the witness agreed that personnel were immediately on site to assist and the utility was always co-operative.

She accepted a subsequent inspection of the river was clear and that correspondence from Uisce Éireann indicated the levels of grease, oil and fat appeared unprecedented, and that the utility said it was proactively engaging with a business on the network and this business had now installed a new fat trap.

Ms Kirrane also agreed in cross-examination that the pumps were immediately put back into proper operation, the pumping station was cleaned and daily inspections are now in place.

Judge Finnegan asked why these inspections were not in place before.

Counsel said there had been inspections three days a week but the unprecedented level of fats resulted in the problems arising.

Ms Kirrane also said in cross-examination that she is aware that a new €32 million upgrade of the wastewater treatment plant is in train, including the construction of a new pumping station due to be completed in June 2027.

She agreed that technological problems and a lack of adequate inspection were the reasons for this incident.

Replying to Judge Finnegan, the fisheries officer said there was not a fish kill on this occasion but there had been previously earlier in the summer. When Judge Finnegan enquired about previous convictions, Ms Maloney said there was one against Monaghan County Council in the 1990s relevant to the same location but nothing against Uisce Éireann.

“Wasn’t there a conviction in Cavan against Uisce Éireann a few weeks ago?” the Judge asked.

Ms Maloney confirmed there was, stating she thought the court was asking about convictions relating to Carrickmacross.

Counsel for Uisce Éireann asked the court to give the defendants credit for the early guilty plea, and their co-operation and active engagement with Inland Fisheries Ireland.

“There are now daily cleanings and inspections and weekly cleaning of fats and greases,” counsel pointed out.

The business that contributed to the fat build up installed a trap in August 2026 and submitted a licence application to Uisce Éireann.

Counsel asked the court to consider the matter not on the highest level of severity and to be as lenient as possible.