Written Answers. - Malahide (Dublin) Marina.
Trevor Sargent
Ceist:
220
Mr. Sargent
asked the
Minister for the Marine
the conditions, if any, of the licence to dispose of spoilage as a result of building and excavation work at the marina, Malahide, County Dublin; if an adequate level of monitoring is in place to ensure that the material which is understood to be 5,000 tons daily, to be disposed of between January and 30 September 1996, cannot be jettisoned at any point other than the designated 35 km east of Malahide; and the plans, if any, he has to reassure fishermen who are not satisfied that this spoilage will be necessarily dumped at this point.
[3272/96]
Trevor Sargent
Ceist:
222
Mr. Sargent
asked the
Minister for the Marine
if he will give details of the licence issued to Malahide marina for the dumping of spoilage 35 kilometres east of Malahide, County Dublin, between January and September 1996; and if the inspection of this operation will include daily monitoring of the electronic navigation readout to ensure that the spoilage is deposited at the specified location throughout the dumping period.
[2955/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 220 and 222 together.
The Oslo Commission guidelines for the management of dredged material are taken into consideration in the disposal of dredge spoil. Under the guidelines surveys of both the dredge spoil and the dump site may be undertaken at the expense of the applicant. If the proposed site is unsuitable for any reason alternative sites are investigated, and if the material itself is found to be unsuitable for dumping at sea, the application is refused.
The marina at Malahide is being developed in two phases. A proportion of the dredge spoil from the first phase, which is already completed, was used for reclamation purposes and the balance of the material was put in temporary storage in the phase II marina basin. This material together with the dredge spoil arising from phase II of the development will be disposed of at sea.
The developers, Malahide Marine Village Ltd., applied for a permit under the Dumping at Sea Act, 1981, to dispose of dredged material associated with the marina development at a site some 7.5 kilometres east of Malahide inlet. Following assessment of the surveys of both the dredge spoil and the proposed dump site as provided for under the Oslo Commission guidelines, the Department's Marine Licence Vetting Committee was satisfied that the dumping operation would not have an adverse affect on the marine environment and the required permit was duly issued.
I attach copy of the permit for the Deputy's information. I would draw attention in particular to condition 3 (n) which provides for the marking of the dump site position with buoys and condition 3 (o) which refers to the use of a Marine Position Recorder.
Department of the Marine Dumping at Sea Act, 1981.
Loading and Dumping Permit No. 224
1. The Minister for the Marine, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by section 3 of the Dumping at Sea Act, 1981, and after consultation with the Minister for the Environment, the Minister for Enterprise and Employment and the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications hereby grants this permit to Malahide Marina Village Ltd., c/o John Moylan and Associates, 79 Merrion Square, Dublin 2.
2. There is hereby authorised by this permit:——
(a) the loading at the Entrance Bar, Malahide Inlet onto the dump barges themv Solidaritat and the mv Philip Muller and the tug boat the mv Sovereign during the period from 1 January 1996 to 31 March 1996 of up to 7,500 tonnes daily of dredge spoil up to a maximum overall total of 126,000 tonnes;
(b) the dumping from the dump barges themv Solidaritat and the mv Philip Muller and the tug boat the mv Sovereign in that part of the sea bed above the 2.5 metre Chart Datum and bounded by
(i) High Water Mark between latitudes 53º27.52' North and 53º28.6' North
(ii) The Line given by:—
latitudes 53º28.6' North and 06º6.2' West,
latitudes 53º27.52' North and 06º6.5' West,
during the period from 1 January 1996 to 31 March 1996 of up to 7,500 tonnes daily of dredge spoil up to a maximum overall total of 126,000 tonnes.
3. This permit is granted upon and subject to the following conditions:—
(a) The substance of material to which this permit relates shall be sand from Entrance Bar, Malahide Inlet as defined in John Moylan and Associates drawing no E-264 and to the east of SOP point defined by national grid coordinates 324567.27 E 246148.85 N which shall be dumped in the dumpsite area defined in clause 2 (b).
(b) A minimum of 50,000 m³ of clean sand is to be dumped in the dump site as defined in 2 (b). The sand dumped shall be free from silt and mud and the gravel fraction shall be kept to a minimum.
(c) A maximum quantity of 75,000 m³ sand and gravel (with the gravel fraction kept to a minimum) shall be allowed to be dumped in the dumping area. If this restriction in the total quantity of material allowed results in less than 50,000 m³ of sand being supplied then Malahide Marina Village Ltd., shall be required to source this shortfall elsewhere to the satisfaction of the Minister for the Marine and dump it in the defined dump area. Alternatively this shortfall shall be made good by providing a quantity of clean sand on the beach above low water of ordinary spring tides equal to 70 per cent of the shortfall quantity as determined by the Department of the Marine.
(d) Malahide Marina Village Ltd. shall continuously monitor the dredge material during dumping operations to ensure compliance with conditions 3 (b) and (c). Malahide Marina Village Ltd., shall take representative sediment samples of the dredged material from each dump vessel prior to dumping and shall carry out sieve analysis on one of these samples for every 2,500 m³ of dredged material. In addition to the above sampling, the Department of the Marine or its representative may from time to time request the additional samples to be provided for analysis. Sampling and analysis shall be carried out in accordance with BS 1377 (1990) and BS 812.
(e) Should any gravel be washed, for whatever reason, on to the nearby amenity beach in the period up to one year following the dumping operation, Malahide Marina Village Ltd., shall be responsible for its removal. Such removal shall ensure that no sand is taken off the beach. The decision of the Minister for the Marine shall be final.
(f) Material failing to comply with the requirements of clauses 3 (b) and (c) shall not be dumped in the dump area defined by clause 2 (b) and shall be dumped in the area defined in Malahide Marina Village Ltd.'s off-shore dumping permit.
(g) Every facility shall be provided for the Department of the Marine's representative at all reasonable times, during the course of the dredging and dumping operations to monitor the dumping operations. All equipment necessary for this purpose shall be supplied on the dump barges. Facilities shall be provided to enable the Department's representative to have samples of the dredge material taken from the dump barges and analysed.
(h) The following information in relation to each load of the substance of material intended to be put on board the vessel and dumped, shall be entered in a register relating to the dumping which shall be maintained by the holder of the permit:
(i) the name of the vessel,
(ii) the source of the substance or material,
(iii) the date, time and position at which dumping began,
(iv) the date, time and position which dumping ended,
(v) the quantity, stated in metric tonnes, of the substance or material dumped,
(i) Entries in a register or log required to be made pursuant to this permit shall be made as soon as may be after the events to which they relate. The register or log shall be retained for not less than three years after the making of the entries and copies of any such entries made in the preceding three months shall be sent to the Minister for the Marine, Leeson Lane, Dublin 2, as soon as may be after 31 March 1996.
(j) The cost of any other tests, sampling, analysis and monitoring which the Minister for the Marine may require in relation to the dumping of the substance or material the subject of this permit shall be borne by the permit holder. Furthermore, the cost of any tests, samping, analysis and monitoring surveys carried out by an authorised officer or by or on behalf of the Minister for the Marine in relation to the dumping of a substance or material the subject of this permit shall also be borne by the holder of the permit.
(k) The master and owner of the vessels shall, if so requested, permit an authorised officer to be on board the vessels during dumping operations. They shall permit and facilitate the carrying out by the officer of his functions under the Dumping at Sea Act, 1981, and shall comply with the provisions of that Act in relation to the officer and those functions.
(l) A monthly report on the developments in relation to this operation is to be forwarded to this Department.
(m) Malahide Marina Village Ltd. shall ensure that noise levels shall not exceed such level as is likely to cause minimum disturbance to residents in the vicinity of the works being carried out.
(n) The seaward limit of the dump site shall be marked by two 1.0 metre diameter orange buoys at positions
(1) latitude 53º28.6 North and longitude 06º6.2 West, referred to as buoy No. 1.
(2) latitude 53º27.52 North and longitude 06º6.6 West, referred to as buoy No. 2.
When carrying out dumping, the dump vessel shall travel on a North-South axis within the dumpsite. The minimum distance travelled on a North-South axis within the dumpsite for each dumping shall be 500 metres.
(o) A marine position recorder in accordance with Department of the Marine specifications shall be installed and maintained on the dumping vessel. Information regarding dumping voyages shall be automatically recorded to allow monitoring of the dumping operation by the Department of the Marine on a regular basis.
(p) Dumping of the substances specified in this permit may not commence until after the final inspection and clearance of all vessels involved in the development by the Department of the Marine's Marine Survey Office.
Dymphna Lynch
An officer of the Department of the Marine duly authorised by the Minister for the Marine under Section 15 (4) of the Ministers and Secretaries Act, 1924, to authenticate permits under section 3 of the Dumping at Sea Act, 1981.
Dated this 20th day of December 1995.
______________
Signature of holder of permit
Date:____________
This permit may be amended or revoked by the Minister for the Marine whenever he thinks it appropriate to do so. Breach of a condition of this permit will render the permit holder, the master and the owner of the vessel concerned, and any other person who causes or permits dumping or loading for dumping in pursuance of this permit, liable to prosecution for unlawful dumping or loading for dumping, as the case may be.
