Vol. 394 No. 6
asked the Minister for the Environment if he will outline the measures he proposes to initiate, in consultation with the Taoiseach, at national and EC level during the period of Ireland's Presidency of the EC, to promote environmental awareness and the protection of the environment in order that Ireland will achieve the accolade of a Green Presidency; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
38.
asked the Minister for the Environment the priorities he proposes to present to the Environment Council of the EC during the Irish Presidency; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Question Nos. 4 and 38 together.
I intend that a number of significant environmental proposals will be considered by the Council of Environment Ministers during the Irish Presidency of the European Communities. As President-in-Office of the Council, I will be working to secure the adoption of proposals relating to the European Environment Agency, water quality, waste management strategy, protection of habitats and access to information on the environment and to advance proposals relating to the treatment of municipal waste water, hazardous waste and vehicle emissions. The Community, and the Irish Presidency, will also play a lead role in the radical revision of the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer and in the continuing work in the areas of climate change, sustainable development and environmental aid to Eastern Europe.
I have three supplementary questions. First, did the Minister speak to the Taoiseach prior to the Taoiseach's announcement and the declaration that we would have a Green Presidency? Secondly, has a draft environmental charter been prepared by the Department, presumably initiated by the Minister? Thirdly, are the Commission aware of such a proposal and do they have a draft environmental green charter that will be promulgated hopefully in Dublin Castle next June?
The answer to the first question is yes, to the second, we are working on it and to the third, no.
If in late December the Government have not spoken to the Commission about such a proposal and therefore to any of the member states, if there is no finalised charter as is clearly indicated, and since the Taoiseach has indulged in unbelievable political hype, will the Minister ensure that the potential damage that could be done to this nation will be mitigated by his own courageous intervention at this point?
Deputy Quinn would not accept that he might be inclined to introduce argument?
Never.
There is no argument. If I misled the Deputy I regret it. I have spoken to the Commissioner of the Council of Environmental Ministers about what we propose doing during the Presidency and I have spoken to some of my opposites as well about what we propose trying to achieve during our Presidency. I took an opportunity in the recent past at one of the meetings in Japan to speak on matters of a global nature. I may have misled the Deputy, but we have formulated our policy and what we hope to achieve. In fact, the Taoiseach only reiterated what the Minister for the Environment hoped he would say and asked him to say.
I recognise that the Minister for the Environment has his own agenda for the Irish Presidency in relation to the environmental council. I am responding to a pronouncement by the Taoiseach in relation to a green charter that would hopefully be proclaimed in Dublin Castle in June. Will the Minister say yea or nay to the following questions? Is there a draft of such a charter in the Department of the Environment? Has that draft been signalled or conveyed to the Commission? Are any of the member states aware of such an initiative?
I invite the Minister to say "yea" or "nay" and then we will move on to Question No. 5.
Consultations have taken place with a view to having a suitable European Council statement issued at the appropriate time in the Irish Presidency.
You mean "nay"?
I said that consultations have already taken place.
The Taoiseach did not even consult with you.
He most certainly did consult with me on that matter.
Not since the elections.
