Vol. 375 No. 4
asked the Minister for the Environment the reason the Irish Government has produced no input documents on the issues of the North Sea Conference agenda, to be held in London on 24 and 25 November 1987, for example a ministerial proposal on radioactive pollution, or on any other issue which is of direct relevance to the Irish marine environment and economic concerns, whereas documents have been produced by Irish non-governmental organisations.
140.
asked the Minister for the Environment the proposals, if any, there have been for Ireland to take up the position of observer status at the second international North Sea Conference which is due to take place in London on 24 and 25 November 1987; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
141.
asked the Minister for the Environment who will be attending the North Sea Conference on 24 and 25 November, as observes on behalf of the Irish Government.
142.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he will make an application to extend the scope of the North Sea Conference to all north west European waters for the next North Sea Conference to be held in the Netherlands.
143.
asked the Minister for the Environment whether he supports the call for full membership by Ireland of the North Sea Conference; if so, his plans to achieve that aim; and if he will canvass Nordic Ministers to propose such a motion at the conference in London on 24 and 25 November 1987 to ensure an upgrading of our status for the next conference in the Netherlands to full membership as we have greater claim than Sweden, for example, to North Sea interest.
144.
asked the Minister for the Environment the names of those who are attending the North Sea Conference in London on 24 and 25 November 1987 for Ireland and his views on whether our delegation could be structured into an interdepartmental high-level group chaired by his Department with participants from the Department of Energy and the Department of the Marine to emphasise a new phase in Ireland of marine protection.
145.
asked the Minister for the Environment if an Irish Sea Conference is planned; if so, for when; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144 and 145 together.
An International Conference on the Protection of the North Sea was held, on the invitation of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany, in Bremen on 31 October and 1 November 1984. The North Sea coastal states were invited to attend the Conference at Ministerial level, together with the Member of the European Commission responsible for environmental protection. For this purpose, coastal states were taken to be Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Other member states of the European Communities and other contracting parties to the Oslo and Paris Conventions were invited to attend as observers. Ireland accepted the invitation to attend as an observer and was represented by an officer of my Department.
The coastal states represented at the Bremen Conference adopted a declaration relating to the protective measures required for the North Sea. They agreed to hold a second International Conference in the United Kingdom to review the implementation and effectiveness of the decisions taken in Bremen and to consider the further measures necessary for the maintenance of the quality of the North Sea. It is this Conference which is to be held in London on 24 and 25 November 1987.
I understand that arrangements for the London Conference will be generally similar to those which applied at Bremen with the same coastal states having the status of full participants, and other countries, including Ireland, being entitled to attend as observers. I have declined an invitation from the UK Secretary of State to attend the Conference myself but I am arranging for senior officials of the Departments primarily concerned to attend.
Since 1984, the countries bordering the North Sea have been involved in extensive scientific studies and preparatory work for the London Conference. Like other countries with no North Sea coastline, Ireland has not been invited to participate in these projects. In the circumstances, the question of Irish input to the Conference has not arisen.
I am satisfied that Irish interests do not require our participation as full members at the North Sea Conference or an extension of the scope of the Conference to all North West European Waters. International conventions on marine pollution such as the Oslo, London and Paris Conventions and other international agencies in which Ireland fully participates (including the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas and the International Maritime Organisation), together with our participation in the European Communities' Environment Action Programme, provide appropriate opportunities for international co-operation and action to protect the Irish marine environment.
The North Sea Conference was created to deal with problems which are peculiar to the North Sea and is similar, in this respect, to other international conferences/conventions which deal with regional problems in areas such as the Baltic and the Meditterranean. The extension of the scope of such conferences would tend to create further overlapping responsibilities among international organisations and deprive States directly concerned of the specialised fora in which they can deal with problems which relate to particular regions. Any additional arrangements which may be required in relation to waters that particularly concern this country would best be pursued through co-operation with the UK authorities. Already, Irish and UK officials are co-operating, under the aegis of the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas, in preparing a regional assessment of the Irish Sea which I understand will be published early next year. I will consider what further measures may be appropriate in relation to the Irish Sea, including the need for an Irish Sea Conference, in the light of this assessment.
