asked the Minister for Health whether he is aware of the health hazard arising from the alarming increase in the indiscriminate dumping of offal and rubbish on roadsides in and around Dublin city; and what action he proposes taking on the matter.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Roadside Dumping.
4.
As the Deputy will be aware, responsibility in relation to the dumping of offal and rubbish rests with the sanitary authority for whom the Minister for Local Government is the appropriate Minister. So far as I am aware there is no health hazard arising in this way for which special measures would be required in so far as my functions or those of the health board are concerned.
Is the Minister aware that not alone on the roadside but outside business premises in this city offal is being dumped and the health department of Dublin Corporation do not appear to be terribly interested?
Dr. Crowe, Dublin Chief Medical Officer, has confirmed that he is not aware of any general health hazard having been caused as a result of dumping of rubbish. Where the deposit of rubbish is brought to the notice of the chief medical officer by a health inspector, he contacts the appropriate department of Dublin Corporation to see what can be done in order to remove any health hazard.
Would the Minister consider that if somebody does contact the health inspector and he says that it is a matter for the planning authority, who in turn say it is a matter for the health inspector—neither of them prepared to do anything—it is a serious matter in view of the fact that the offal happens to be fish and fish entrails?
It would be wrong, if it is true, that the health inspector and the sanitary officer should be passing responsibility from one to the other—one should take responsibility from the point of view of health hazards and the other from the point of view of taking action and if the Deputy will let me know of any cases where he really believes there is a health hazard, I will ask the health board and Dublin Corporation to resolve the matter between them.
The Minister can take it that what I tell him is the truth.