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account to join the discussion Advertisement More Stories Diesel that has leaked into the water is being contained from spreading further.The Journal/Mairead Maguire The Morning Lead Diesel has been leaking into the River Liffey from Irish Rail fuel storage for over a year The leak was discovered in March 2025 but has not been fixed. 12.06am, 25 May 2026 Share options DIESEL HAS BEEN leaking into the River Liffey from an underground pipe connection near the Samuel Beckett Bridge for over a year, The Journal
has learnt. This pipe connection links to a fuel farm owned by Irish Rail, which is used as diesel storage for fuelling trains at Connolly Station. It’s unclear how much diesel has been spilt into the water, but Irish Rail and Dublin City Council both confirmed to The Journal that the leak was discovered in March 2025. A spokesperson for Irish Rail added that diesel is believed to have been leaking into the Liffey for “a number of weeks” before it was discovered by the
authorities. Dublin Port undertook the initial investigation, having “immediately activated its oil spill response procedures, including the deployment of oil booms and absorbent materials,” when the leak was discovered, a spokesperson said. They added that further assessments by Dublin City Council identified the source of the leak “within a series of culverts”. Since then, a clean-up operation has been underway to contain the spread of diesel, with Irish Rail contracting a company to help. But 14 months on from its initial discovery, the leak does
not appear to have been fixed. A spokesperson for Dublin City Council told The Journal the council “is aware of, and is overseeing, the ongoing response to a pollution incident affecting a localised area of the River Liffey immediately downstream of the Samuel Beckett Bridge.” Advertisement The containment measures in place to prevent the diesel from spreading further.The Journal / Mairead Maguire The Journal / Mairead Maguire / Mairead Maguire They added that a specialised contractor was hired by Irish Rail to “undertake environmental protection
and remediation works”, including the mitigation measures currently in place to “contain and address the incident”. A floating barrier has been placed in the water close to the Samuel Beckett Bridge to contain the diesel spill. Diesel is acutely toxic to aquatic life and can make fish seriously ill. The Liffey is home to a variety of fish, including perch and roach, which are often found in the city centre. “Since containment and recovery measures have been implemented, this has prevented diesel from entering the
watercourse beyond the immediate area,” a spokesperson for Irish Rail told The Journal. A spokesperson for Dublin City Council added that the council will “continue to monitor the situation” and engage with the relevant authorities as “the incident response remains ongoing”. A Dublin Port spokesperson also said it remains “in close contact with all relevant parties to support continued containment efforts and the protection of the River Liffey.” Conor O’Carroll is an investigative reporter with The Journal Investigates. Our investigative unit is dedicated to lifting
the lid on how Ireland works. This takes time, and it takes resources. Find out how you can help: Support The Journal Investigates Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone. A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Support The Journal Conor O’Carroll View 4 comments Send Tip or Correction Embed this post
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Diesel leak, River Liffey, Irish Rail, Samuel Beckett Bridge, Connolly Station, Dublin City Council, Dublin Port, oil booms, floating barrier, pollution incident, aquatic life