Vol. 492 No. 2
87 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the role, if any, his Department envisages for the Irish Sea Co-ordination Group in relation to dealing with the recent coming ashore of highly flammable phosphorous tubes in County Louth; if these incidents are covered by the joint Irish and United Kingdom Memorandum of Understanding on Search, Rescue and Pollution Control; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13846/98]
I am very concerned about the recent appearance of dangerous devices on the east coast and the hazards these constitute for health and safety. The Irish Sea Co-ordination Group, established in 1992 to advise on the potential for better integration of research and monitoring programmes, completed its deliberations in 1995 with the issue of its final report and became defunct at that time. One of the immediate outcomes is the current Irish-UK exercise for the quality status report, QSR, which is under the OSPAR Convention and which is scheduled to be completed by the year 2000. The QSR exercise does not have a direct role regarding chemical dumpsites but may yield some useful data.
The joint Irish-UK draft Memorandum Understanding on Search, Rescue and Pollution Control referred to is under examination in my Department. It is proposed that the memorandum will apply to oil and chemical substances, as defined, which are carried on board a ship as cargo.
The public concern which had arisen regarding the extent and stability of the dumpsite following disturbances of the seabed from the laying of the gas pipeline between Northern Ireland and Scotland led to close ministerial, official and scientific contact with the UK authorities and a comprehensive study of the dumpsite. Irish scientists were fully involved in all aspects of this study so that we can have a high degree of confidence in the findings and recommendations.
I am very concerned that, despite the survey and the putting in place of a management regime for the site, that materials very similar to those established to have arisen in the dumpsite are arising on our shores. I have therefore been in close touch with relevant UK Ministers in the matter and I have directed my officials to work closely with the UK authorities in an effort to discover the causes of the current disturbance of the dumpsite and what immediate measures can be taken to restore and maintain its stability. I have also asked that a full report be presented by the Army authorities to the UK defence attaché for transmission to the UK Secretary of State for Defence. In view of the all island dimension of the matter I have been in close touch with the responsible Northern Ireland Minister, Lord Dubs.
