asked the Minister for Local Government if, in the interests of the fishing and tourist industries, conservation, planning and recreation and the control of pollution and coast erosion, he will assist Dublin County Council, by the secondment of staff if necessary, to implement its initiative for the organisation of an Irish Sea Area Conference on Nature to be attended by representatives of all local authorities, Irish and British, whose areas are bounded by the Irish Sea.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Irish Sea Pollution Problem.
81.
The scope of the subject referred to in the Deputy's question is clearly such as to indicate that any discussion should be on inter-governmental or international level and it would not therefore be appropriate for a local authority to organise such a conference.
Pollution seems to be the chief issue concerned and one affecting the other issues referred to also. In this regard I may mention that action has already been taken and will continue to be taken as developments demand them. Examples of action taken to-date are:—
(a) Both Britain and Ireland have signed the Oslo Convention on the prevention of the Pollution of the Sea by Dumping from Ships and Aircraft. This Convention applies to the Irish Sea.
(b) Ireland and Britain are taking part in the preparation of EEC environmental policy, which is expected to include, among the subject matter, marine pollution from coastal installations and outfalls.
(c) Ireland was represented at an international conference held in London in March to consider safety and pollution safeguards in connection with the development of mineral resources off the shores of north-west Europe.
(d) There have been informal discussions with British Departments in regard to the question of arrangements for dealing with oil pollution at sea.
Would the Minister not agree that, as the local authorities are the planning authorities also for the various areas of which they are in control, it is appropriate that the local authorities would be the people involved in such discussions rather than that they should be held at national level?
I would not so agree. While local authorities must of necessity be very interested, it would be ridiculous to suggest that each local authority should make its own arrangements because we would then have a situation where it might interfere with a national or international arrangement made at a later stage. However, recommendations from local authorities to the Department concerned would help considerably at this stage.
Would the Minister like to comment on the statement made today by the medical officer of Hull who stated that untreated sewage is being dumped in the Irish Sea in vast quantities by local authorities on the other side of the Irish Sea? It was for this sort of purpose that the question was put down.
I have not had an opportunity of studying what the medical officer of Hull said but I would say that this is another example of the fact that it is a matter for national or international action and not local authority action.
Will the Minister say what action will be taken at national level in relation to this terrible problem of pollution of the Irish Sea?
I am quite sure that the Deputy is aware, following the reply I have given, that at present there is a number of bodies attempting to grasp this problem so that a report can be made at national level and I am quite sure that he will be glad to give any assistance he can in dealing with this matter.