Vol. 529 No. 1
846 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government his views on the complaint by the head of the European Commission's Environmental Directorate that the Government was not co-operating adequately with Brussels on environmental issues; the action he proposes to take to implement the various environmental directives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2066/01]
It is assumed that the Deputy's query refers to correspondence dated 13 October 2000 from the Environmental Directorate of the European Commission. This provided an analysis of complaints received by the Commission from the public in Ireland and is part of an ongoing exchange of views with the Commission, which I initiated last year, in relation to implementation and enforcement of Community legislation in Ireland, including the handling of complaints received by the Commission.
The correspondence recognised improvements made by Ireland in the implementation of Community directives and offered a number of observations on possibilities for reducing numbers of complaints and-or refining the roles of the relevant authorities involved. No suggestion that the Government was not co-operating adequately with the Commission on environmental issues was made.
My Department has consulted with other Departments and agencies concerned and will be responding comprehensively to the Commission in the interests of timely, efficient and effective implementation of Community and national environmental legislation.
