Vol. 523 No. 2
103 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the USA is actively considering trade sanctions against Japan in opposition to its whaling activities; and the actions the Government will take to support international protests against Japan's scientific whaling. [20733/00]
I am aware that in response to Japan's decision to issue special permits to take Sperm and Bryde's whales for the purposes of scientific research, the President of the USA is considering trade sanctions. The Deputy will be aware of Ireland's strong stance on the conservation of whales which has been pursued consistently at the International Whaling Commission. I share the concerns of the USA and other countries that taking of Sperm and Bryde's whales represents an extension of the scope of whaling under special permits to three species instead of one species previously. At this year's meeting in Adelaide of the Commission Ireland supported Resolution 52/36 asking Japan not to proceed with its new scientific whaling programme.
Since the Adelaide meeting, I arranged to meet the Ambassador of Japan to Ireland in my office and made clear to her my disappointment with the stand of Japan on scientific whaling. I have since authorised the Irish Ambassador to Japan to lead a diplomatic demarche to the Japanese Government on behalf of 15 embassies – Austria, Brazil, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and USA – requesting Japan not to proceed with its scientific whaling proposals for this year.
