Vol. 272 No. 10
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he is aware that a ban or restrictions have been placed on the sale of forms of DDT in several States of the USA and in Sweden, Hungary, Norway and Denmark; and if he proposes to take similar action.
21.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will introduce up-to-date regulations in regard to the use of DDT in view of the findings of An Foras Talúntais that over 30 tons are used of annually and that its slow rate of chemical decomposition and progressive rate of concentration with each step of the eco-ladder are particularly dangerous.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 21 together.
I am aware that a limited number of countries and some States in the USA banned the use of DDT but some of them have since removed the restriction. I do not propose to take power to control the use of DDT here as I do not consider that at its rate of usage in this country, it constitutes any risk. The World Health Organisation is opposed to a complete ban on the use of DDT.
Under the present laws of the land has the Parliamentary Secretary got powers to impose control if it is found to be necessary?
There are no powers to control the use of chemicals here. The Poisons Act, 1961 gave controlled power but the Minister for Health proposes to amend the Act. When the amended Act becomes law, we hope the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries will be able to make regulations from time to time to control the use of pesticides if necessary but we do not envisage the need for controlling the use of DDT.
The Parliamentary Secretary says he is satisfied that we are not over using DDT in this country. Can he say what quantities of DDT per annum we are using?
That is a separate question.
That information was not sought in the question.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary serious when he says he has not got that information? He has based his answer on the fact that he is satisfied that we are not using too much of it.
Put down a question next week and you will get the answer.
I wonder. The Parliamentary Secretary might get mixed up again.
