The Government is moving hundreds of rivers away from EU ecological requirements.
New government plans will see hundreds of rivers across the country looking at a decline in wildlife.
These include the River Brosna in Offaly, and the River Barrow on the Laois/Kildare border, and sections of the River Shannon.
The Irish Independent is reporting the move will see the State re-classifying 466 stretches of river, lakes and estuaries so that they do not fall under EU ecological regulations.
The majority of the water bodies proposed for designation are intended for arterial drainage use which requires regular dredging, which is believed to disrupt developing wildlife.
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