Vol. 478 No. 1
100 Mr. M. McDowell asked the Minister for the Environment the steps, if any, which were taken to circulate the European Commission Water Directive, the draft of which was published in February 1997, or the discussion draft which was issued by the Commission in December 1996; if so, the persons to whom it was circulated to in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10424/97]
101 Mr. M. McDowell asked the Minister for the Environment the bodies or persons to whom his Department circulated copies for information or comment of the European Commission draft directive on water supply, published in February 1997; the reason it was not sent to the ENFO Library; the reason it was not available in the Oireachtas Library; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10425/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 100 and 101 together.
My Department is not responsible for the dissemination of documents published by the European Commission, which has offices in all member states.
In accordance with normal practice, my Department initiated a consultation on the draft Framework Directive on Water Quality, soon after its publication on 25 February 1997, which involved relevant Government Departments, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Geological Survey of Ireland and two local authorities which had been represented at the consultative conference organised by the European Commission in May 1996.
It has not been the practice for ENFO to hold separate copies of internal Commission documents or draft proposals for EU legislation. The ENFO library does however have available copies of the Official Journal of the European Communities, through which access to Commission proposals can be had in due course.
