Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 6 Apr 1995

Vol. 451 No. 7

Written Answers. - Dumping in Irish Sea.

Ivor Callely

Question:

119 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for the Marine if he has raised the matter of the public concern regarding chemical gases and weapons dumped off the Irish coastline with the British authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7057/95]

Minister for the Marine (Mr. Coveney)

The Department is in consultation with the UK authorities regarding the dumping of chemical gases and munitions off the Irish coastline.

Ireland is a contracting party to the Oslo Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping from Ships and Aircrafts, 1972. The UK and 12 other European countries are also party to this Convention. The subject of the disposal of chemical gases and munitions at sea is on the agenda of the April meeting of the Environmental Assessment and Monitoring Committee, which is a scientific working group set up under the Convention. Ireland will be represented at this meeting by a senior scientist from the Department's Fisheries Research Centre. As I already mentioned in the Adjournment debate of 23 March 1995 on this subject, the matter of recent public concern regarding chemical gases and weapons dumped off the Irish coastline will be taken up at that meeting.