Vol. 461 No. 6
1 Mr. Dempsey asked the Minister for the Environment the current status of his commitment to the Joint Committee on Sustainable Development of producing his Department's programme on sustainable development before the beginning of Ireland's Presidency of the EU in June 1996. [3437/96]
15 Mr. Briscoe asked the Minister for the Environment the current status of his commitment to the Joint Committee on Sustainable Development of producing his Department's programme on sustainable development before the beginning of Ireland's Presidency of the EU in June 1996. [3347/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 15 together.
As previously stated, I intend to publish the Government's national sustainable development strategy towards the middle of this year. Work on its preparation is advancing within my Department, in consultation with the green network of Government Departments.
The preparatory process for the strategy is supported by recent work completed in relation to data and methodology for sustainable development indicators, and by the local agenda 21 process; it also draws on policy developments at EU and international levels. In addition, I have recently invited submissions from interested individuals and organisations, which will be taken into account in finalising the strategy.
My question related to the Minister's commitment of 3 May 1995 that the sustainable development policy would be published before Ireland's Presidency of EU. Is it still his aim to have that policy document ready in June prior to Ireland taking up the Presidency?
That is still my intention. The scale of work undertaken to put this strategy together is greater than I envisaged originally. Notwithstanding that, we have had a number of direct contacts with environmental departments in the European Union from Denmark to Austria, enlisted support from other Government Departments and established a green network of all relevant Departments. Certainly, the volume of work is huge but it is still my aim to have the work completed and published before we take up the Presidency of the EU in the middle of this year.
The Minister mentioned a recent newspaper advertisement inviting submissions and consultations which must be in before the middle of next month. What does he intend to do with those submissions? Are written submissions from groups and individuals the only consultation in which the Minister intends to be involved or does he intend to have more extensive consultations? If he is to publish the document in June, the timescale dictates that the documents and submissions will not receive much consideration by the Minister beforehand.
I can assure the Deputy that all submissions received will be carefully considered and any good ideas will certainly be taken on board. We are not reinventing the wheel. Huge work has already been done on this whole process within the EU and in other EU countries and we have taken advantage of their experience in that regard. We have invited submissions, the closing date for which is 15 March, and I am anxious that there should be a level of consultation in advance of the final preparations of this document.
I might add that the Joint Committee on Sustainable Development has had submissions from a number of interested groups and has taken direct evidence from a number of Departments and outside bodies, all of which is being carefully monitored by my officials also. Any positive input from the committee itself or any submission to the committee will be taken into account.
On the Joint Committee on Sustainable Development, the Minister knows I felt it would be better if the committee took submissions and made its report prior to the production of a document by the Government. What we are doing at present is something of a pointless exercise although it is extremely interesting.
Does the Minister agree that the Government's commitment to sustainable development will be dented severely by the fact that the REP scheme will come to a halt in about two months time due to lack of funding, there are ongoing rows between the Environmental Protection Agency and the IFA on a variety of environmental matters, the forestry strategy——
I must remind the Deputy to be brief.
——and all the other issues which arise due to the present lack of environmental protection?
I fundamentally disagree with the Deputy and that will not surprise him. The fact that these issues are arising is evidence that we are moving ahead at a great pace. If nothing was happening, nobody would be excited. The fact that people are engaging in dialogue now, and some people are voicing contrary views, means we are moving fairly rapidly on the whole environmental protection front.
In terms of the timeframe for finalising this document, I had a similar discussion on the finalising and drawing up of the strategy of the national health policy, as the Deputy will recall as he was in Government then. On that occasion, I proceeded on the basis that it was better to listen to people's views and then, as Minister, draw together the best strategy. One can listen and discuss forever and never get to a proper strategy.
The strategy itself will not be written in stone once it is in place. It will be organic and will be able to grow and develop as new ideas, technologies and practices come to bear.
On the first of the Deputy's other two points, the REPS is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry. I am supportive of his efforts to ensure significant funds are available to ensure all farmers who wish to participate in the REP scheme are enabled to do so but it is outside my direct ministerial responsibility.
On the question of forestry, I intend taking a strong environmental initiative on forestry practices which is coming to fruition in terms of the dialogue between myself and my friend and colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry.
