Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 4 May 1994

Vol. 442 No. 3

Written Answers. - Ozone Depleting Substances.

Ivor Callely

Ceist:

122 Mr. Callelly asked the Minister for the Environment the progress, if any, which has been made to eliminate production and use of CFCs in Ireland; if Ireland will meet the time schedule of the EU draft regulation on the subject; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment (Mr. Browne, Wexford):

Phase out and elimination of ozone depleting substances is being addressed on a Union-wide basis by Council Regulation No. 594/91 as amended by Council Regulation No. 3952/92.

The target dates specified in these Regulations are as follows:

—CFCs	85 per cent cut by 1.1.94100 per cent cut by 1.1.95
—Halons	100 per cent cut by 1.1.94
—Carbon Tetrachloride	85 per cent cut by 1.1.94100 per cent cut by 1.1.94
—1,1,1, Trichloroethane	50 per cent cut by 1.1.94100 per cent cut by 1.1.94

Overall EU progress towards these targets is monitored by the European Commission and to date is generally satisfactory.

A further draft regulation is now under consideration at EU level. This incorporates the existing regulations and proposes to extend controls to substances newly covered by the Montreal Protocol: HCFCs, HBFCs and methyl bromide. This proposed regulation envisages phase out dates of 1995 for HBRCs, 2014 for HCFCs and a 25 per cent reduction for methyl bromide by 1998.

Ireland has consistently maintained an advanced position on control of ozone depleting substances and strongly supports the early adoption of the current draft regulation.