Westmeath County Council “did not complete any planned farm inspections in 2023” owing to staff shortages, according to a new report published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
In its latest Local Authority Enforcement Audit Report on Westmeath Co. Council the EPA confirmed that while the county council met the “required standard” for local priorities and water quality monitoring in 2023 it needed to “make improvements” in other key areas.
This included in relation to its inspection and enforcement of agricultural farmyards and farmlands, domestic wastewater treatment systems (septic tanks) and discharge licences/misconnections.
Inspections
While it did not complete farm inspections last year Westmeath Co. Council informed the EPA that two assistant scientists have been appointed as “agricultural inspectors and will be commencing farm inspections once the appropriate site selection is completed.
The county council also confirmed that both assistant scientists have completed the catchment science and agricultural Inspection training courses.
“The council has a requirement of 37 agricultural inspections assigned in the National Agricultural Inspection Plan for 2024, the EPA outlined.
Separately Westmeath County Council is required to undertake seven septic tank inspections in 2024 in accordance with the National Inspection Plan (NIP).
The council told the EPA that these inspections will be completed and that the shortfall of five inspections in 2023 has been completed.
The county council also advised that there are two authorised inspectors in place who undertook the inspection training course in 2024.
“The council has 11 open advisory notices that require follow up actions, the EPA report also detailed.
Actions
According to the EPA Westmeath County Council must ensure that it meets the requirements of the the National Agricultural Inspection Plan (NAIP) for 2024 which requires 37 agricultural inspections and relevant follow-up actions to be undertaken by the local authority.
It must also meet the requirements of the National Inspection Plan (NIP) for septic tanks and follow-up to “close out the advisory notices that remain open”.
Separately Westmeath County Council should “inspect all A and B risk ranked section 4 discharge licences annually to ensure compliance with licence conditions and report any resultant water quality outcomes. “
Solid Fuel
The EPA report also reviewed the register for solid fuel retailers during the latest audit.
Westmeath County Council informed the agency that litter wardens “undertake solid fuel retail inspections, however, not all the wardens were using the inspection template”.
The county council also confirmed that “the multi-agency checkpoint did not take place and that sampling of solid fuels was not undertaken owing to lack of resources”.