Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 7 Apr 1992

Vol. 418 No. 4

Written Answers. - Kerry Coast Oil Pollution.

Michael Moynihan

Ceist:

41 Mr. Moynihan asked the Minister for the Marine if there has been any progress in locating those responsible for the oil pollution off the Kerry coast recently; and the action he proposes to take to prevent this serious situation occurring in the future.

Minister for the Marine (Dr. Woods)

My Department were informed about the pollution on the beaches in Kerry at approximately 10 a.m. on Monday, 16 March 1992. Immediately the problem was reported all resources attached to my Department were activated. Since then every effort has been made to trace the source of the pollution or those responsible for it. Unfortunately, to date, our efforts both here and overseas have failed to indicate a culprit.

In an effort to identify the product, its region of origin and length of time in the water, the Fishery Research Centre at Abbotstown was requested to carry out an analysis of samples of the pollutant taken from the beach in Kerry and the other affective areas.

As a further effort to identify its source of origin, a sample of the pollutant was sent to the Institute of Off-shore Engineering, Heriott/Walt University Edinburgh, for further fingerprinting.

While no positive results are available, initial indications are that it is crude oil. The institute is having great difficulty tracing the region of origin. Tests so far have narrowed the region to probably the North Sea or Middle East. The sample supplied would appear to be weathered for between two to 14 days. The final report is expected to be available later this week.

If the results of their analysis do not provide the necessary information the Irish Marine Emergency Service will, in a further effort to trace the source, contact the United States Coastguard, the Canadian Coastguard and the International Tankers Owners Pollution Federation Limited, advising them of the incident and requesting their co-operation.

We also extended our inquiries overseas to the International Maritime Organisation in London, the UK Marine Pollution Reponse Unit, the UK Coastguard and Lloyd's. They were all requested to let my Department know if they became aware of any vessel or vessels damaged or missing. To date no information has come to hand.

Based on our experience over the years the Irish Sea and south coast are relatively free of deliberate oil pollution. This can be accounted for by, (i) the responsible attitude of the regular maritime users; (ii) the intensive aerial activity and pollution reporting by military and civilian aircraft from Ireland and the United Kingdom; (iii) the intensive marine activity and pollution reporting by commercial, fishing and pleasure craft crews; and (iv) inspections of vessels under Port State Control which enforces international requirements.

Our south-west and west coasts are our most vulnerable coastlines for pollution from deliberate discharge, although incidents of this nature are few and far between. For example, a relatively small quantity of oil discharged at distances off our coast can, as in this incident, affect a large stretch of coastline. The clean-up is labour intensive and costly. Unfortunately there is little our, or any other country can do to stop deliberate discharge but, with international co-operation, prompt alert and adequate information we can endeavour to identify the culprit, prosecute and recoup our costs.

I would like to publicly express my thanks to the county managers and their personnel in the affected areas for their prompt response thus avoiding the pollution migrating to an uncontaminated area.