asked the Minister for the Environment the consultations that have taken place between his Department and the Department of Industry, Commerce and Energy with regard to environmental safeguard requirements which are to be applied to all operations seeking to drill off this country's shores for either oil or natural gas.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Oil or Natural Gas Drilling Operations.
20.
My Department have been consulted on the rules and procedures for offshore petroleum exploration operations prepared by the Department of Industry, Commerce and Energy as they relate to oil pollution and prevention. My Department have also been consulted on contingency plans to deal with oil pollution submitted to that Department by individual offshore petroleum operators.
I do not wish to be disrespectful to either you, Sir, or the Minister, but my question as I read it on the Order Paper was to ask the Minister for the Environment about the consultations that have taken place between his Department and the Department of Industry, Commerce and Energy. I accept that consultations have existed. As a Member of this House I want to get some indication as to what was contained in those consultations. The Minister in his brief may have some information on that. I ask that question quite sincerely.
Deputy Quinn had a similar question down previously to the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy where he got from the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy this type of information that he is now seeking. If the Deputy wishes I will give him a run-down of my responsibility with regard to oil pollution. The Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy is responsible for spillages from the oil rigs, but my responsibility has to do with local authorities in the immediate off-shores and the shores. The harbour authorities have responsibility in their areas. There are regular meetings between the responsible bodies at which my Department are, of course, the leading body involved, and as a result of these meetings we keep our contingency plans up to date, and this happens regularly. We are prepared so far as possible to deal with oil spillages.
I should like the Minister to underline that point because it is important from the public's point of view. Can he give the House an assurance that each maritime county has sufficient equipment and adequate trained personnel to deal with any possible oil spillage off our coasts?
I can give that undertaking. The equipment is available.
And we may take it that there are trained personnel in each county council area who are capable of dealing with any such spillage?
Staff have been designated for this purpose in each county council.