New measures to restore the river Barrow to its former glory have been promised for the new year.
If you didn't know such measures were needed, then you haven't been speaking to Mary White, the Green Party's environment spokeswoman and a member of the Barrow Catchment Management Committee.
Ms White walks the river bank frequently and sees the evidence for herself - dead sheep in the water at Ballytighlea near Borris; a man calmly emptying two sacks of refuse into the river; a farmer rinsing out a sprayer - these are some of the incidents she has witnessed.
The statistics are there to back her up.
The Environmental Protection Agency has found that 40 per cent of the river is slightly polluted and 3 per cent is seriously polluted.
"The river acts as a great sewer for the wasteful filthy habits of a generation of Celtic Tiger boomers," Ms White says.
The management committee, which was set up about a year ago and includes State, industry, environmental and fishing representatives, is planning a clean-up.
The first task for the new year will be to carry out a fish stock survey to establish how many species of fish are left in the river.
The alarming drop in salmon stocks, which is due not only to pollution but other factors, including extensive drift net fishing at sea, is apparent.
"Nowadays approximately two salmon are caught per mile [in an entire fishing season] on this great river and that is over a length of 119 miles, which is a national scandal," said Ms White.
The committee is also to seek EU funding of up to £60,000, to be matched by State agencies, to support anti-pollution measures, including education programmes in schools and the installation by industry of eco-friendly waste management systems.
Ms White said the aim is to increase awareness of the river for everybody. "The Barrow is unique, with its wonderful natural walking track all the way from St Mullin's [in south Carlow] to where it rises in the Slieve Blooms.
"There are places where the undergrowth is high, but for mile upon mile, no other river can boast such wonderful walking terrain."