asked the Minister for Transport if he will make an up-to-date statement outlining the present position in regard to dumping of waste in the territorial and international waters off our coast, the position under international conventions permitting such dumping and if he has satisfied himself with the present position.
Written Answers. - Dumping at Sea.
233.
Dumping of sewage sludge by Dublin Corporation is permitted under the Local Government Board (Ireland) Provisional Order Confirmation (No. 10) Act, 1892; other dumping at sea is licensed under the Fisheries (Consolidation) Act, 1959.
I hope shortly to be in a position to introduce legislation for greater control of dumping at sea of wastes and other matter. The proposed Dumping at Sea Bill now in preparation will provide for control of all dumping in our territorial waters and will be in conformity with the relevant international conventions, namely, the Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping from Ships and Aircraft, 1972, known as the Oslo Convention and the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, 1972, known as the London Convention.
The Oslo and London Conventions are similar in content but the London Convention applies to all the seas of the world whereas the Oslo Convention applies to the north-east Atlantic only. The conventions prohibit the dumping of certain specified highly toxic substances and provide that the dumping of all other substances requires the permission or approval of the national authority concerned.
When the proposed legislation has been enacted arrangements will be made to have the conventions ratified.