asked the Minister for Local Government the steps he has taken in the 12 months ended September, 1974, to reduce pollution and nuisance and to improve the environmental and material surroundings.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Environmental Improvement.
98.
For a full account of the environmental work of my Department over the period referred to I would refer the Deputy to my Estimate speech of 17th and 18th July last and to the information given in reply to various questions since then.
I propose to confine myself now to a brief resumé of the main activities.
The strengthening of the physical planning system is provided for by the Local Government (Planning and Development) Bill, 1974, which is at present before the House.
Work on drafting legislation for the better control of water pollution is at an advanced stage.
Other aspects of pollution control legislation are being kept under review and any further measures that are needed will be introduced.
There has been a major increase in the capital allocations for the sanitary services programme, which includes provision for treatment works.
Air pollution control inspections under the Alkali etc. Works Regulation Act, 1906, have been intensified. Local authorities have been asked to review and extend their air monitoring operations with particular reference to ensuring enforcement of planning conditions. Similarly advice has been provided on interim measures for water pollution control. Progress on the preparation of local contingency plans for dealing with oil pollution has been maintained.
It has been recommended to local authorities that they should examine and modernise their waste collection and disposal services and they have been given specific advice on how to do this. I have written to local authorities on a number of occasions asking them to step up their efforts to control and reduce litter.
The ongoing programmes of my Department in matters relating to housing, road development and provision of swimming pools and amenities also contribute significantly towards the improvement of the living environment.
New arrangements have been made to promote better liaison and co-operation between Departments in environmental matters. A new inter-departmental environment committee has been set up with an important advisory role in this regard.
Arrangements are being finalised for setting up the Water Pollution Advisory Council, which is expected to have their first meeting early in the coming year.
My Department are taking an active part in the EEC Environment Programme. In November I attended a council meeting of Environment Ministers at which a number of important matters were considered. I also attended a meeting at ministerial level of the OECD Environment Committee as a means of keeping in touch with international developments generally in this area.
If the Minister considers that the provision of amenity schemes makes a substantial improvement in the environment, why has he decided to reduce by a drastic sum the allocation for amenity grants by his Department for the year 1975?
That seems to be a separate matter.
Is the Minister aware that one of the biggest problems in relation to litter facing all local authorities, particularly urban authorities, is the disposal of the refuse and litter? Have his Department any suggested plans or have they investigated the various ways of disposal and the cost of same? Have they given any guidance or made suggestions to local authorities?
We have and we have not been able to find a cheaper or better method of disposal than the very much maligned dump, which is being used at present. We have asked all local authorities to try to modernise the collection system so that when it is dumped it will be done in such a way that it will take up the least possible area. We have appealed to people—and I now appeal to them again—not to put newspapers or other types of paper into the refuse collections because they are throwing away very valuable material. If they do not want it charitable organisations would be only too glad to collect it if they make arrangements or leave it outside their gates to have it collected.
Question No. 99.
They are doing even worse. The newspapers are blowing all over the place.
They could tie them up. If they make arrangements beforehand and the proper collection is made I see no reason why it should not work very well. It is done in my area and the local parish council are collecting quite a considerable amount of money out of it.
I agree fully with the Minister that the present system of disposal is the cheapest one. Since we are having a lot of problems in many areas regarding dumping, with environmental agitation at times, would he not make money available from the Central Fund to local authorities to provide more suitable, well-controlled dumps which have a better appearance?
Most local authorities have reasonable dumps. It is difficult around the cities, because most of their dumps are almost full up at present. I am not getting complaints about the existing dumps. I am getting complaints about people who do not believe in dumping in a proper way but who feel that outside somebody's gate or along the side of the road is the proper place to dump. This is what is causing trouble and we are trying to get local authorities to increase their efforts to prevent this type of thing happening.
Question No. 99.
This is an important question.
This must be the final supplementary. We must make some progress.
Is the Minister aware that in the Cork area landfill sites for dumping are becoming very scarce and that the existing sites are almost full? Is there any way of having funds provided from the Minister's Department to assist in meeting the enormously increased costs that local authorities will be faced with in the future because of longer drives to these sites?
The Deputy is raising a separate matter.
There are no specific funds available for that. Although local authorities may have to travel further to dumps for filling, it is still by far the cheapest form of dumping. Apparently recycling of any kind at the present time in this country is completely out because of the relatively small volume.
I accept that fully.
Next question. The Deputy is consistently taking a mean advantage of the Chair. Question No. 99.
It would be a very difficult thing to do.
It happens at times. Question No. 99.
Costs are increasing rapidly because of the difficulty of location and the length of journeys involved in transport. Would the Minister ask his Department to investigate this as a matter of urgency?