Farmers are blamed for damage caused to 'dirty' Kildare lakes

A small group of farmers are being blamed for some of the damage that’s been caused to the Naas Lakes.

“It can be easily identified who’s doing it,” said Cllr Seamie Moore at a Naas Municipal District meeting and asked for Kildare County Council to fund the cleaning of the lakes.

A “huge amount” of environmental damage has been caused to the scenic Naas lakes area, adjacent to the public hospital, he said.

He added that a silt trap should be provided along with works to redirect water entering the lakes. He said this water should be “filtered” through the adjoining wetlands.

He wants Kildare County Council to put money aside to pay for the work which is “now several years overdue.”

Cllr Moore said that apart from the damage to the lakes some of the problems have been expensive to solve.

“The silt has now reached the top of surface water level and gives a vegetation platform for algal growth,” he said, adding this means that wildfowl are being deprived of a habitat.

He said that the cost of work to clear the area previously amounted to €1m and “will be much worse now.”

Likening the lakes to a "dirty sink” he said “everything is being held there.”

He said the solution is straightforward - silt must be removed from the area.

Referring to KCC's responses to repeated questions, he said; “I’m listening to the same excuses for six or seven years.”

According to Kildare County Council it has met with representatives of Inland Fisheries Ireland and Naas Biodiversity Group “to assess a preferred option to improve the siltation and nutrification in the lakes.”

A report by KCC official Simon Wallace added the work is ongoing and “once a final option is identified it will be brought forward for costing with the view to seeking necessary funding to carry out works.”

He also said that it is unlikely ”works will be carried out to resolve this issue in 2027 due to existing staff and budget commitments.”