Peadar Clohessy
Question:18 Mr. Clohessy asked the Minister for the Environment the steps, if any, he has taken to encourage environmental auditing by the manufacturing industry.
Written Answers. - Environmental Auditing.
The Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992 enables the agency to promote the carrying out of environmental audits and to prepare guidelines on the aims, necessary expertise, and criteria and procedures for such audits. I will be formally establishing the agency within the next month.
An EC Regulation for an Eco Management and Audit scheme is also likely to be adopted very shortly.
I am fully aware of the value of eco-audit as an instrument both of environment and of industrial policy. I have consistently encouraged firms to consider the benefits, including economic benefits, deriving from the conduct of regular reviews of environmental performance. I emphasised the advantages involved at two recent conferences on Cleaner Production and Environmental Auditing, in UCC and UCD respectively.
In addition, my Department is providing financial assistance for the preparation, by the Chambers of Commerce of Ireland, of a promotional information leaflet on environmental auditing. Further opportunities will arise following the adoption of the EC scheme and I intend to use them fully.