asked the Minister for the Environment if his attention has been drawn to the major reduction in personnel and equipment engaged in antipollution operations in Bantry Bay; and if he will ensure that this trend is reversed so long as pollution continues in the area from the wreck of the Betelguese.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Bantry Bay Pollution.
34.
I am assured that adequate personnel and equipment are available as necessary to deal with any pollution arising from salvage operations on the wreck.
Is the Minister aware that oil is still seeping from the Betelguese and is causing great worry to local fishery and tourism organisations?
The pollution arises from work being undertaken by salvage workers. They have been taking precautions to keep pollution to the minimum. The numbers employed in clearing up any oil pollution has varied continuously. At the commencement, six weeks ago, 30 were employed and this number has been reduced to 15, one of the reasons being that the work force are dealing with pollution on rocks on the shore and there is a shortage of materials for this work. However, pollution of the water is being dealt with immediately.
Of which materials is there a shortage?
I have not got that information.
Can the Minister give an indication of when the material will be available?
The Department's technical officers and the local authority consider that it will be possible to increase the scale of pollution clearance quickly.
How do the Department consider that the work is satisfactory when they did not plan for an adequate stock of materials?
As far as I know they are now happy with the situation.
How could they be happy with a situation which has resulted from inadequate planning for the supply of materials, which in turn has resulted in a reduction of the work force?
The Department's technical officers, in co-operation with the local authority, are of the opinion that they are capable of dealing with any pollution problems in Bantry Bay. They are in a position to deal with pollution clearance very quickly.
We have reached only Question No. 34 in one and a half hours.
Surely the purpose of Question Time is to get information, not to get through as many questions as possible.
That is not the position as far as Deputies are concerned. There are many questions on the Order Paper, and it has always been the practice to get through as many questions as possible in the interests of the Deputies who put them down. If Deputy Quinn was correct we could spend the entire two hours dealing with one or two questions.
Is the Minister saying that the reason for the reduction of the work force is because of inability to deal with pollution on the shore?
On the rocks on the shore.
Does it arise from the Betelguese wreck?
yes.
Is the Minister aware of the contradiction that arises from a statement made by his colleague, Deputy Faulkner, then Minister for Transport and Tourism, indicating that there was not a danger from pollution?
The Minister must get to Question No. 35.