Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 12 Nov 1996

Vol. 471 No. 4

Written Answers - EU Presidency.

Trevor Sargent

Question:

139 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment the pressure, if any, he, as the Minister for the Environment during Ireland's Presidency of the EU, is putting on EU member states to become signatories to the 1991 Protocol under the Convention of Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution, CLRTAP; and the pressure, if any, he is putting on EU member states to become signatories to the 1994 Protocol under the Convention of Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21097/96]

Minister for the Environment (Mr. Howlin)

Given the responsibility of each contracting party to the Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution to determine its position on becoming party to Protocols under the Convention, it would not be appropriate for the EU Presidency to seek to exert this kind of influence.