Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 27 Feb 2002

Vol. 549 No. 4

Written Answers. - EU Directives.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

212 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the directives issued under the treaties establishing the European Communities any provision of which comes under the auspices of his Department which have not yet been transposed into law; if such transposition will be effected by Bill or statutory instrument; if transposition is overdue; if so, the steps taken by the European Commission by way of enforcement in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7158/02]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Dempsey)

Details in relation to the directives in question are set out in the following table:

Ref. No.	Subject	Method (Bill-Statutory Instrument)	Deadline for Transposition into Irish Law	Current Position	Enforcement Proceedings
1976/464/EEC	Dangerous Substances in Water	S.I.	No deadline specified in Directive	Water quality standards for phosphorus were made in July, 1998 and for a further 14 dangerous substances in February 2001	European Commission announced its intention on 24 January, 2001 to initiate ECJ proceedings. Formal notice has not yet been served by the Commission
1980/778/EEC	Drinking Water	S.I.	18/07/1982	Implemented by European Communities (Quality of Water Intended for Human Consumption) Regulations 1988 and subsequent amendments. The most recent amending Regulations were made on 20 June 2000	European Court of Justice proceedings initiated in relation to statutory obligations on private rural water supplies
1991/676/EEC	Designation of vulnerable zones under the Nitrates Directives and related issues	S.I.	When required by reference to water quality data	Regulations will be developed over the coming months in consultation with the main farming organisations and other interested bodies	Formal notice of the initiation of ECJ proceedings was served in October 2001
1996/61/EC	Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control	Bill	29/10/1999	Directive substantially anticipated by EPA Act, 1992; will be fully implemented by means of appropriate amendments to the Act	Article 226 letter received

Ref. No.	Subject	Method (Bill-Statutory Instrument)	Deadline for Transposition into Irish Law	Current Position	Enforcement Proceedings
1996/62/EC	Ambient Air Quality Assessment and Management (“Framework Directive”)	S.I.	21/05/1998	Elements not dependent on subsidiary directives transposed in 1999.
1999/13/EC	Limitation of emissions of volatile organic compounds	S.I.	April 2001	Draft Regulations in preparation subject to ongoing consultations with relevant bodies	Reasoned Opinion
1999/30/EC	Limit Values for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and lead in ambient air	S.I.	19/07/2001	Draft Regulations in preparation	Article 226 letter received
1999/31/EC	Landfill of Waste	S.I.	16/07/2001	Certain provisions to be transposed by Regulations	Article 226 letter received
1999/52/EC	Methodology used for smoke opacity tests operated as part of the road worthiness testing of diesel vehicles	S.I.	01/10/2000	Regulations to transpose the directive to be made shortly	21/12/2001 – Commission announced intention to initiate legal proceedings
2000/30/EC	Random roadside inspections of commercial vehicles	S.I.	06/06/2002	Regulations to be made to meet implementation date of June 2002
2000/53/EC	End-of-life vehicles (ELVs)	S.I.	21 April 2002	Draft regulations in preparation
2000/60/EC	Water Framework Directive	To be decided	22/12/2003	Implementation ongoing
2000/69/EC	Limit Values for Benzene and Carbon Monoxide in Ambient Air	S.I.	13/12/2002	Draft Regulations in preparation
2001/9/EC	The roadworthiness test for petrol driven vehicles with on-board diagnostic (OBD) systems to monitor the functioning of the vehicle's emission control system need not require the vehicle to be tested at low idle speed	S.I.	9/3/2002	Regulations to be made shortly

Ref. No.	Subject	Method (Bill-Statutory Instrument)	Deadline for Transposition into Irish Law	Current Position	Enforcement Proceedings
2001/18/EC	Deliberate release of genetically modified micro-organisms	S.I.	17/10/2002	Draft Regulations in preparation.
2001/42/EC	Assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment	S.I.	20 July 2004	Examining the implications of the Directive with relevant Government Departments and Agencies
2001/43/EC	Tyres for motor vehicles and their trailers	S.I.	04/08/2002	Regulations to be drafted
2001/80/EC	Limitation of emissions of certain pollutants into the air from large combustion plants	S.I.	27/11/2002	Regulations to be drafted
2001/81/EC	National emission ceilings for certain atmospheric pollutants	Bill and S.I.	27/11/2002	Appropriate amendments to EPA Act, 1992; need for supplementary S.I. under examination
2001/100/EC	Extension of low temperature emission standards for the registration of new passenger cars not previously covered from 1 January 2003	S.I.	07/09/2002	Regulations to be drafted