The Irish Times has carried a claim that the Cryptosporidiosis outbreak in Galway has been ascertained to have arisen from human faecal sources and not animal faecal sources as had been generally implied by the Galway local authorities.
The Irish Farmers Association has issued the following statement:
“3/28/2007
IFA SEEK AN APOLOGY FROM GALWAY COUNTY COUNCIL
IFA Galway County Chairman Barry Donnelly has demanded that Galway County Council apologise for wrongly blaming farmers for the current water crisis affecting the area. It has emerged through reports that the water has been polluted by human sewerage rather than animal waste, causing it to be unfit for human consumption.
Mr Donnelly said âit was totally unfair for the finger of blame to be pointed at farmers. Galway County Council should have carried out a complete and thorough examination to discover the real cause of the water contamination, before making a scapegoat of the farming community.â?
âIt is now necessary that Galway County Council issue an immediate apology to farmers in the area.â?”
Hmm… The management of human sewage is also the responsibility of the local authorities.