asked the Minister for the Environment whether he will ban the importing and sale in Ireland of chlorofluorocarbons; and, if not, the reason.
Written Answers. - Import and Sale of CFCs.
116.
The problem of ozone depletion arising from emissions of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other gases is a global one and international action is required to combat it. Ireland is participating, in conjunction with our EC partners, in international action under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, which was concluded in September 1987 under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme. The EC is implementing its obligations under the Protocol by means of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 3322/88 of 14 October 1988. The main measures of the Protocol, in relation to chlorofluorocarbons, involve stabilisation from 1 July 1989 of production and consumption at 1986 levels, a reduction of 20 per cent on the 1986 levels from 1 July 1993, and a reduction of 50 per cent on the 1986 levels from 1 January 1998.
On the basis of recent scientific evidence the Montreal Protocol is now generally regarded as not going far enough and the EC has concluded that an 85 per cent reduction in CFCs production and use as soon as possible with a view to their total elimination by the end of this century is required. The EC will be negotiating for a review of the Protocol on the basis of these conclusions at the second meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Protocol which is due to take place in London next year.
Within that overall framework, the speed at which production and consumption of CFCs can be phased out is dependent on the ready availability of suitable alternatives which themselves have to be proven to be toxicologically and environmentally safe. I believe that action at EC and international level is most appropriate and in these circumstances an outright ban on the import into and sale in Ireland of CFCs is not being considered at this stage.
Question No. 117 withdrawn.