Wind Farm Developer Suspends Works Following Peat Slide

A wind farm developer has suspended works at a site after devastation was caused by a peat slide that has polluted the Mourne Beg and Derg Rivers.

Minister Edwin Poots and Minister Charlie McConalogue TD visited Meenbog, Ballybofey.

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 and to hear about the steps being undertaken by the windfarm developer to prevent further pollution. 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."