Vol. 394 No. 8
11 Mr. Gilmore asked the Taoiseach the way in which he proposes to advance his Green Presidency of the EC Council of Ministers; the initiatives concerning the environment which he proposes to take in the EC; and the legislative measures which the Government will be bringing before Dáil Éireann which will be aimed at improving the environment.
12 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach if he has directed or requested the Minister for the Environment to prepare a draft of an Environmental Charter as indicated by him recently to visiting Europeans in Dublin; if a draft of that Charter has been circulated to the Government for their consideration in their anticipation of its being tabled formally at the Environmental Council of EC Ministers during Ireland's Presidency and its ratification by the Irish Presidency's Council in June 1990; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 12 together.
I refer the Deputies, first to my statement in the House on 13 December last when reporting on the outcome of the Strasboarg European Council and on the forthcoming Irish EC Presidency; secondly, to a reply by the Minister for the Environment to parliamentary questions on 14 December 1989 which outlines the programme of environmental proposals to be advanced during the Irish Presidency; and, thirdly, to the Government's environmental action programme, launched last Friday by the Minister for the Environment. Copies of the programme have been placed in the Library of the Houses of the Oireachtas and a copy is today being sent to each Member of the Houses.
As I have said on a number of occasions, the environment will be one of our main priorities during the Irish Presidency and it is my intention to propose to have a major declaration on the environment adopted at the meeting of the European Council in Dublin next June. Preparatory discussions for this purpose have already been initiated.
Would the Taoiseach explain some of the inconsistencies between the statement in the environmental action plan and the legislation promised on page 26? Why, for example, is there no intention to bring forward legislation to amend the Air Pollution Act? Why is there no intention to bring forward legislation on eco-labelling despite the statement on the proposed initiative within the EC? Why is there no intention to bring forward legislation to provide for a waste management plan or to deal with the abuse of the planning process which has given rise to problems with sewage discharge and so on?
Could I dissuade the Deputy from asking questions of that kind in an omnibus form?
I have no idea what the Deputy is getting at. He is making no sense.
Can the Taoiseach answer the question?
I do not know what the question is.
Can the Taoiseach tell us if at this stage the draft of the proposed Green charter for the Irish Presidency exists, and if it has been shown to anybody outside of Government Buildings, perhaps to people in either the Council, Secretariat or Commission?
The Deputy knows that the adoption of a declaration of that kind by a summit requires a great deal of preparatory work, preparation and discussion. It is hoped to bring it forward at the Dublin Summit in June and work has already commenced on that project.
As I did not ask the question clearly enough, may I ask the Taoiseach, again, to tell us if a first draft — one of many, perhaps — exists?
There is preliminary documentation, but I would not say that there is a full scale draft, even in draft form.
Having regard to the normal process of the formulation of such documents, would the Taoiseach not agree that to be here on 30 January without even a draft does not bear well for the prospects of a document either being promulgated or accepted in June and that perhaps he lost the run of himself on 13 December when he promised this document which, as confirmed by his Minister the following day, was not even known or announced to the Department of the Environment here in Ireland, let alone in Brussels?
In an interview I gave at the Strasbourg Summit I gave a clear indication that this would be a proposal. After all, the Presidency can only put forward proposals. We intend to put forward proposals. We have already discussed the idea of such a charter with a number of our colleagues and partners and we have found widespread acceptance for it. I have no doubt whatsoever that this particular aspect of the Presidency will be successfully concluded at the Dublin Summit.
As the Taoiseach did not answer my earlier question, may I help him by putting it simpler? Why does the statement on the environment contain many fine sentiments which apparently the Government do not intend to give effect to through legislation? I have listed four statements on page 26 for which there is an absence of legislative provision. On that page the Government list the legislation on the environment that they intend to bring forward. Is the plan announced last Friday simply a public relations exercise to put the Government on side for the Green Presidency and will it have any material effect?
The programme put forward last Friday is a very definite, specific, comprehensive programme which will be fully enacted in all its aspects and I will be delighted to confound the Deputy in that regard.
Question No. 13, please, in the name of Deputy De Rossa.
May I ask a brief question?
I was just about to call the Deputy's own question, Question No. 13.
Is the Taoiseach saying that the legislation that Deputy Gilmore has referred to will be brought before this House before the end of the current Presidency?
All the necessary provisions, be they domestic legislation, regulations or EC directives, will be enacted and implemented.
Let us deal with Question No. 13 now.
We are talking about legislation primarily for this country.
I am sorry, Deputy, but I am calling Question No. 13 in your name now.
The Taoiseach has promised this legislation.
