asked the Minister for Local Government if he will arrange an open forum to discuss matters relating to the environment.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Environmental Protection.
108.
I am not quite sure what the Deputy has in mind. I accept that public interest in, and discussion about, environmental problems is essential if a heightened awareness of the importance of environmental protection is to be achieved. I do not think there is any shortage of this kind of discussion at present, which is organised in various ways, for example, by groups, associations and institutions, public and private, in the media, and by way of Parliamentary debates at estimates and other occasions. I have recently had a useful meeting with representatives of groups which have a special interest in water pollution, as part of the preparation for new legislation, and I can consider further discussions of that kind as the need arises.
It is necessary to have as much public discussion as possible so as to educate public minds in this regard.
109.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he has any plans whereby the Houses of the Oireachtas may maintain supervision over environmental programmes.
Environmental programmes are subject to the same scrutiny and consideration by the Houses of the Oireachtas as other Government business.
A substantial number of documents have been published by the EEC and by the UN in this regard and I understand that these are available on request in the Library, but I wonder whether the Minister might arrange to have summaries of these documents distributed to Deputies so that we would know what is contained in them and, consequently, be enabled to follow them up in more detail.
As the Deputy has said, they are available in the Library and I will ensure that any Deputy who so wishes will be supplied with them. The Deputy will agree that to summarise all the documentation emanating from the EEC and other places on this subject would require an extensive staff.
A summary would be very helpful because there is much repetition in these documents.
The Deputy is able to pick out all those questions containing big words.
Can the Minister say if there was some mistake in the map I received from him recently?
110.
asked the Minister for Local Government if the proposed £20 million general fund proposed at the UN conference on environment, which includes the proposed special housing fund, is adequate.
The Environment Fund recommended by the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, and approved by the General Assembly at their meeting on 15th December, 1972, is a voluntary fund, and the decision imposes no limit on the fund's resources. The fund has the purpose, in general terms, of providing additional financing for new environmental initiatives within the UN system.
The question of a fund for housing is a separate matter. The UN conference recommended that there should be set up an international fund or institution to assist in national programmes for human settlements. This has been endorsed in principle by the General Assembly but no concrete proposals have yet been adopted.