Ministers shocked at peat slide devastation

Date published: 20 November 2020

Ministers Poots and McConalogue are shocked to see the devastation caused by a peat slide that has polluted the Mourne Beg and Derg Rivers.

DAERA Minister Edwin Poots and DAFM Minister Charlie McConalogue TD view the devastation at Meenbog, Ballybofey, following the recent bog slide.

DAERA Minister Edwin Poots and DAFM Minister Charlie McConalogue TD visited Meenbog, Ballybofey, which is within the site of a wind farm that is under construction.  The wind farm developer has suspended all works at the site with the exception of those that relate to mitigating the impact of the bog slide and reducing the risk of further slides.

Minister Poots also visited the Corgary Trout Farm which has been seriously impacted by the pollution incident and continues to experience ongoing losses as the water is still heavily contaminated with peaty sediments.

Speaking after the visit, Minister Poots said: “The scale of the damage is shocking, the devastation caused by the peat slide to the local river systems is very serious and there is substantial ongoing damage inflicted on the Corgary Trout Farm. It is clear that this peat slide has had an immediate impact on fish and the ecosystems upon which they rely but until conditions permit, it is not possible to quantify that impact. Our immediate priority is to try to prevent any further slippage or pollution entering the waterways.

“There has been a large-scale, cross-border and multi-agency reaction to this incident and I am encouraged that all agencies involved are moving at pace to limit the risk of further damage, and will then be working together on restorative actions to remediate the affected rivers and the wider ecosystems.”

A cross border multi-agency group has been set up to investigate the slippage and address the resulting significant and ongoing pollution that is impacting the Mourne Beg and Derg Rivers. Representatives from the Loughs Agency, Northern Ireland Environment Agency, National Parks and Wildlife Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, Donegal County Council and Derry City and Strabane District Council met for the second time on Thursday 19 November and will continue to meet, to keep the situation under review and further co-ordinate the response.

Minister McConalogue TD commented: “This has been a really worthwhile joint visit with Minister Poots, which has allowed us both to see the damage on the ground for ourselves. I was also pleased to see the speed with which the cross border multi agency group was established in response to this incident and it was helpful to get a briefing from them on the work they are doing collaboratively to support efforts to mitigate against any further pollution.”

The rivers Mourne Beg and Derg all form part of a large river system flowing into the River Foyle and then Lough Foyle. This river system, is important not only for important species it contains and supports, notably Atlantic salmon, species of Lamprey and Otter, but also because of the range of river and associated habitats, such as woodland. The system is protected as an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) and also is recognised internationally as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC).

Notes to editors: 

  1. Follow DAERA on Twitter and Facebook
  2. All media queries should be directed to the DAERA Press Office on 028 9052 4619 or via email
  3. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service for media enquiries between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.

 

Share this page

Back to top