asked the Minister for the Environment the action, if any, he has taken to promote 1987 as the Year of the Environment; the amount of money he has allocated at central government level or authorised at local government level to commemorate this year; the reports of research or other forms of documentation which he expects to emerge as a consequence of combined activities between central and local government and non-governmental organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Year of the Environment.
188.
The Environment Awareness Bureau, which operates under the aegis of my Department, is the Irish National Committee for European Year of the Environment and a sum of £230,000 including a special supplement of £100,000 for EYE, has been provided from the Environment Vote to meet the expenses of the Bureau in 1987. Information on the amount of money being provided at local authority level for EYE projects is not available and authorisation of such expenditures by my Department does not arise. Approximately £360,000 has so far been allocated from the EC budget towards environmental awareness activities organised or backed by the national committee. These activities have also received substantial sponsorship from the private sector for a variety of EYE projects.
A number of my Department's activities also have an EYE dimension. These include the urban renewal programme, the Custom House Docks project and the designated areas programme, the grants totalling £500,000 towards major parks projects, the implementation of the Air Pollution Act and the Clean-Up Ireland Campaign last May. In addition, my Department has asked local authorities and other Government Departments to draw up programmes consistent with the objectives of EYE. These programmes are outlined in the booklet published by the National Committee entitled "A Strategy for the European Year of the Environment", a copy of which is available in the library.
Research is not a prime objective of EYE. However, I expect that a considerable body of documentation will be produced in the framework of EYE. I will make available to the Deputy a list of documents which have come to my notice to date.