€5 million restoration funding approved for Lough Carra

FUNDING of €5 million has been approved by the EU to restore, protect and conserve Mayo's Lough Carra.

The lake has been in decline due to nutrient run-off, with a group of community stakeholders coming together to form the Lough Carra Catchment Association to restore it to its original pristine condition.

News of EU LIFE project approval was confirmed by a strong advocate for the lake, Councillor Al McDonnell, at a Castlebar Municipal District meeting today (Wednesday).

The €5 million investment, he said, will hopefully be the catalyst for saving the lake, with the programme to start in October.

The project, he said, will involve widespread consultation with stakeholders, including local farmers. Measures will include developing individual annual farm plans, the creation of buffer zones and the fencing off of waterways.

It will be of technical and financial assistance to farmers and other stakeholders and, he pointed out, it is not exclusively directed towards farmers. For instance, if there was evidence of a septic tank impacting on the lake it will also be examined.

This, said Councillor McDonnell, involves cross-community cooperation and he paid tribute to all involved in the project to date.

Councillors welcomed the protection of the lake, especially given it is a source of drinking water as it is connected to Lough Mask.

Councillor Cyril Burke said he hoped it would not impact too much on the lives of farmers in the community and that they would be financially rewarded for any constraints put on them.

Director of services John Condon hailed it as 'a very important project' which hopefully will reverse the decline of recent decades.