It’s happened again: Second leak into River Liffey discovered close to Samuel Beckett Bridge

ANOTHER LEAK INTO the River Liffey has been discovered close to the Samuel Beckett Bridge, The Journal has learnt.

Dublin City Council confirmed that they are aware of and “is investigating the source of an incident affecting a localised area of the River Liffey upstream of the Samuel Beckett Bridge”.

But the source of this leak is not related to a leak of diesel from an Irish Rail underground pipe connection previously reported by The Journal.

“There is a separate release c. 300 metres upstream from Samuel Beckett Bridge,” a spokesperson for Irish Rail told The Journal, adding that “Dublin City Council and Dublin Port are determining the source from an overflow pipe for the main combined sewer pipe.”

The first leak was discovered in March 2025 and is yet to be fixed. It links to a fuel farm owned by Irish Rail that serves Connolly Station.

A company hired by Irish Rail to contain this leak installed a floating barrier to prevent the diesel from escaping further into the water, but recent pictures from the area show a leak beyond this barrier.

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“The leak at Samuel Beckett Bridge is not worsening,” a spokesperson from Irish Rail said, adding that they do not believe the separate release to be related to their activities.

A spokesperson for Dublin City Council added, of the latest leak, that “it appears the incident was isolated and is not a continuous discharge”.

There is “no confirmed direct link to a specific point source, and no definitive line of enquiry,” the spokesperson continued, adding that mitigation measures remain in place “to contain and address the incident”.

A spokesperson for Dublin Port told The Journal it “was alerted to the presence of light oil in the River Liffey on 1 July.”

Oil booms and absorbent materials were deployed in the affected area, the spokesperson said, while the Environmental Protection Agency were alerted. They also confirmed that “the leak is unrelated to port operations.”

Dublin City Council “has not definitively profiled the material; however, it can be confirmed that it is consistent with a hydrocarbon”, a spokesperson added.

These leaks can cause environmental damage to the river, as well as threaten the aquatic life in the Liffey.

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Diesel has been leaking into the River Liffey from Irish Rail fuel storage for over a year

The immediate area surrounding both leaks is a known nesting spot for otters.

A 2019 otter survey found the nearby MV Cill Airne floating restaurant “offered an accessible floating platform to otters” and “was heavily marked with spraint” (also known as otter droppings).

An active holt, where otters rest and breed, was found during a 2022 study “located in the quay wall of the River Liffey near the MV Cill Airne”.

Diesel and oil can stick to an otter’s fur, reducing its waterproofing and, in cases of acute exposure, lead to heat loss and hypothermia.

The Liffey is also home to other aquatic life, such as perch and roach, which are often found in the city centre.

Both diesel and oil are acutely toxic to aquatic life and can make fish seriously ill.

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