(2004/C 84 E/0932)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0668/04

by Proinsias De Rossa (PSE) to the Commission

(9 March 2004)

Subject:   Irish Government's failure to cooperate with Lough Ree investigation

What reply, if any, has the Commission received from the Irish Government in response to the letter of formal notice it sent to Ireland in April 2003, as announced in IP/03/544, regarding the Irish Government's failure to cooperate with its investigations into complaints about the deterioration of water quality in Lough Ree, specifically in relation to taking account of the cumulative effects of new developments in accordance with the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) (1)?

What action has the Commission taken or is it considering in this matter?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(7 April 2004)

The Commission's letter of formal notice, referred to by the Honourable Member, addressed non-cooperation by Ireland consisting in a failure to respond to a request for information about compliance with environmental legislation in relation to Lough Ree, County Roscommon. Ireland subsequently provided a detailed response to the Commission's original information request. This response is considered as having brought to an end the infringement for non-cooperation based on Article 10 of the EC Treaty, and no further action is currently contemplated on this ground. The Commission is still considering the substantive issues raised by the original complaint (2).

(1)  OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7.

(2)  P2001/4787.