asked the Minister for the Marine the action he proposes to take to highlight the dangers inherent in the dumping of plastics in our seas and waterways; and if he is considering the introduction of legislation to outlaw such practices.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dumping of Plastics.
12.
The preparation of a sea pollution Bill which will give effect to an international agreement known as Marpol 73/78 is at an advanced stage in my Department. One of the provisions of regulations to be made under the Bill will require ships to use reception facilities to be provided at ports for disposal of waste and garbage. The dumping of garbage, including plastics, from ships will become illegal by virtue of the Bill in question which I hope to bring before the House shortly.
European Coastwatch, 1989, which is fully supported by the Government and which was partly financed by a contribution from the Government undertook a survey of our coasts in September of this year. The results of the survey which I expect will be available shortly will provide useful information on the extent of the problems. My Department are cosponsoring with the Wildlife Service a poster campaign which will increase awareness among seafarers of the dangers to marine life and the environment of disposing of garbage, including plastic, from vessels at sea.
I welcome the Minister's announcement that he will bring legislation before this House soon because it is long overdue and a matter of grave concern. The Minister must be aware of the amount of plastics washed on to our coasts in the most remote parts of the country. In the legislation he proposes to introduce, will the Minister be in a position to impose fines? What facility will he have for monitoring people who offend in relation to the dumping of plastics? There are many offenders—not just ships at sea — in relation to the dumping of plastic. This has caused many difficulties in relation to fish kills and boats being damaged. Will the Minister's powers in this regard——
The Deputy's question is too long.
Will the Minister be in a position to take specific action, unlike his position at present in relation to submarines?
Yes, I can tell the Deputy that the sea pollution Bill is being drafted in the Attorney General's office at present. It will enact into Irish law Marpol 73/78 and the intervention protocol. The Marpol Agreement strengthens the law on oil discharges from ships — which is very important — extending it to pollutants, other than oil — which again is important — liquid harmful substances, sewage, garbage and so on. With it there is an intervention protocol. When that has been passed by the Houses of the Oireachtas it will empower us to take action in relation to ships on the high seas apart from those that cause pollution while in our harbours or within our coastal limits. I accept what the Deputy says, that plastics constitute a big problem because they do not destroy; that is the trouble. I have an idea that the individuals to whom the Deputy referred in the course of her supplementary, who pollute from land, would be covered by existing legislation initiated in the Department of the Environment. The Sea Pollution Bill provisions will give me very strong powers in this regard.
Is the Minister aware of the EC directive published last week which restricts the dumping of sludge at sea? Will he say whether the impending legislation will incorporate provisions to prevent the dumping of sludge? Will he say what are the proposals envisaged to prevent the sludge boat leaving Dublin Bay and dumping in the Irish Sea?
There are very strict regulations with regard to the dumping of sludge already, controlling the amount, distance and so on. There is no pollution problem encountered with regard to the type of disposition with which Dublin Corporation are involved.
A final supplementary——
Please, Deputy, there are other Deputies wanting to ask questions also.
The EC directive published last week recommended legislation to prevent the dumping of all sludge in seas. That will mean that we in Ireland will have to cease dumping sludge at sea.
Yes, that will be the eventual objective.
Will it be incorporated in the legislation?
The final objective is to do away with it altogether.
I welcome the Minister's assurance that the Marpol Agreement will be signed in the near future. Since it would be necessary that containers be provided at ports around the country to dispose of garbage from ships — after signature of this agreement — would the Minister say who would be responsible for the cost of providing such containers? For example, will it be the responsibility of shipowners, the harbour authorities or the Department of the Marine?
I would expect that it would be the harbour authorities who would be responsible for them. It is difficult for me to give a straight answer to that because some harbours come directly within the overall responsibility of the Department of the Marine, whereas, for example, Rosslare comes under the aegis of CIE. Therefore, I cannot give an across-the-board answer to that. It is sufficient to say that there will be an obligation on the people responsible for individual harbours to provide receptive facilities for waste and garbage. I fully agree with the Deputy when he says that this is an important development, in that shipowners henceforth will not have the excuse that they have nowhere to put their garbage or waste.
In the context of plastics being dumped at sea would the Minister agree that ultimately the only effective way to deal with this problem is to work towards elimination of the creation of plastics as a consumer product? With regard to the extent to which sludge dumping in the Irish Sea contributes to this problem — particularly that emanating from the city of Dublin — can the Minister indicate whether the site of that sludge dump has yet been moved further away from Howth Head — as was promised by his predecessor — down towards the south Atlantic?
I cannot give the Deputy precise information about the movement. I do know that there are very strict regulations governing the depth of sea, where it can be done and the amount that can be disposed of at any given location.
With regard to the Deputy's question about ceasing the production of plastics altogether, that is too big a question for me today. I do know that there is a movement to get rid of plastic as a product. I know also that very many people claim that it has enabled improvements to be effected in the standards of hygiene in the handling of food.
In regard to Deputy O'Sullivan's supplementary, would the Minister agree that the provision of more skips in our major ports would constitute a simple advance because, from the information available to me, there are three major ports only in the country that provide such skips? As a simple, interim measure would the Minister not agree that more skips might be provided at our main ports?
I personally would like something more sophisticated than just skips. There are available containers that are enclosed which do not allow garbage and rubbish to be blown all over the place. I agree with the Deputy that the sooner such receptacles are provided the better.