More than 1,300 dead birds have been washed up on the coast from Cork Harbour to Tramore, Co Waterford. This follows an oil leak which occurred when a vessel was being loaded at Whitegate refinery in Cork harbour on November 4th.
BirdWatch Ireland said the leak appeared much bigger than was first thought and the slick had moved through important seabird colonies, causing the deaths mainly of guillemots, members of the auk family.
It has called for a full investigation into the leak. It says there is a need to clarify exactly what happened and to determine where the extra oil came from and why the quantity of oil leaked was not known two weeks ago. It feels the oil refinery should at least meet the cost of the clean-up process and make a contribution to marine conservation.
The organisation is monitoring the situation through regular contact with local members and with the National Parks and Wildlife Service, who have been co-ordinating beach monitoring and the collection of oiled birds.
Ms Jackie Hunt, site and habitat protection officer with BirdWatch Ireland, said the number of dead birds now equalled the total affected by the Kowloon Bridge incident in 1986 and last year's two incidents on the east and south-east coasts.
"It is essential," she added, "that lessons are learned, that preventive regulations are enforced and that prosecutions are made, if necessary.
"However, a commitment to prevention is of the utmost importance. Prevention can only be achieved through co-ordinated efforts in improving operation practice, tackling the problems with ships at sea and improving port facilities.
"Special attention must also be paid to areas which are most sensitive to oil pollution, so that, if an accident does occur, the effects will be minimised."
Mr Neill O'Carroll, Irish Refining manager at Whitegate, has confirmed that the spillage during a loading operation on November 4th has been finally assessed at 25 tonnes.
International experts on oil pollution were advising Irish Refining on the clean-up operation, Mr O'Carroll said.
He expressed confidence that all beaches and inlets would be back to normal within a matter of months.
Hundreds of birds are being washed ashore on beaches outside Cork Harbour, according to residents involved in trying to save the birds.
According to Mr Brian Keating, of Myrtleville, residents from Fennell's Bay to Fountainstown have collected dozens of dead and dying birds driven ashore by the recent stormy weather.
"We've been trying to clean them up, but an awful lot of them seem to have swallowed oil.
"Five birds died on us last night and just before they died they excreted oil," he said.