asked the Minister for the Marine the proposals, if any, he has to control or ban the use of Tributylin in Irish waters.
10.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Use of Tributylin.
2.
asked the Minister for the Marine the proposals he has to establish and monitor the prohibitive control of the release of Tributylin into our waters; whether Irish estuaries have been tested for the concentration of this substance; the results of such tests; and if he now proposes, given the evidence from Great Britain and other countries, to introduce a ban in regard to the release of Tributylin into Irish waters in any circumstances.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 and 10 together. Immediately on assuming office I directed that a thorough review be carried out by my Department on the use of TBT and related anti-fouling paints and their effect on the aquatic environment.
Arising from that review I decided, as announced on 3 April, to use the powers available to me under the Fisheries Acts to impose controls on the use of these substances. I now wish to inform the House that yesterday I signed a by-law giving effect to that decision. The relevant by-law prohibits the use of TBT and related anti-fouling paints on the majority of boats and other structures in our waters. I am satisfied that this measure will afford adequate protection to our aquatic environment against these dangerous substances.
The Minister seems to have made a limited declaration in regard to ships and structures on which TBT may not be used. We all know the position at this stage. Studies have been carried out on TBT in the UK and the US. The US have taken great steps with their Navy to have it removed and banned totally. Is it the Minister's intention to have the use of TBT banned totally in this country?
The exclusion which was made relates to the hulls of aluminium alloy whose overall length is more than 25 metres. There are very few of these boats in use. The position is similar in France. When they imposed a ban they did not impose the ban on aluminium hulls because of the corrosive effect of the other non-toxic anti-pollutant paints. It is a very minor exclusion and does not apply here because we have very few of these type of boats. In regard to the total ban, the Department of Agriculture are at present reviewing the position in relation to European Community regulations.
We should not justify what we do by what people have or have not achieved in other countries. This is possibly — as has been stated by some of the world's experts — the most lethal substance ever unleashed into the environment and it will have horrendous consequences if it is not controlled. I would like to impress this fact upon the Minister and urge him to look at the possibility of having this substance totally banned in Irish waters as soon as possible because of the long-term consequences.
I will draw the Deputy's attention to the by-law which is very comprehensive and which covers most of the areas he has in mind. The only exclusion is this minor one in relation to aluminium hulls in excess of 25 metres. Such boats are few and far between in this country. In relation to the total ban, that is a matter for the Department of Agriculture and I will draw their attention to it. In accordance with the European Communities Classification Regulations, 1985, an examination is under way and it may be possible to ban the sale of anti-fouling components.
I welcome the Minister's moves in this regard but we are all only too aware where minor exclusions are involved of the consequences which can emerge in such areas. Either this will be totally controlled or not, and that is the problem.
I would like to explain that at Question Time Deputies may make points in order to ask a question. The Deputy might think about that and use that strategy to stay in order when asking further questions.