Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 26 Mar 1996

Vol. 463 No. 3

Written Answers. - Munitions Dumping Investigation.

Michael Smith

Ceist:

443 Mr. M. Smith asked the Minister for the Marine the conclusions, if any, that were reached in the joint Anglo-Irish investigation of underwater munitions dumping outside the Beaufort Dyke area in respect of the 30 canisters recently washed up near Inishowen, County Donegal, and rumours of 15 sealed U-boats on the ocean floor off Donegal; and the discoveries, if any, that were made in the recent search off the Donegal coast. [6562/96]

Minister for the Marine (Mr. Barrett)

The Irish Marine Emergency Service reported that 20 phosphorous devices were washed up around Culdaff on the Inishowen Peninsula, County Donegal in November 1995. The Irish Army disposed of the devices. These devices probably came from the Beaufort Dyke dumpsite. This had reinforced my view that the Irish and UK Government must agree a coordinated approach to the issue of munitions dumped at sea.

Minister of State at the Department of the Marine, Deputy Eamon Gilmore, met with the Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and the Environment, the Scottish Office, the Earl of Lindsay and the Parliamentary Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Defence, the Earl Howe in London last month to discuss the drawing up of a management plan for the Beaufort Dyke munitions dumpsite.

Lords Howe and Lindsay confirmed that while there is no conclusive evidence that the British Gas pipeline disturbed munitions in the Beaufort Dyke, they accept that it is likely that this is the case.

A firm commitment from the UK Government to put in place a system of monitoring and management of the dumpsite was secured. A number of key points were agreed: (1) The Scottish Office will undertake a new study this spring on the Beaufort Dyke munitions dumpsite in order to remap and re-chart the extent of the dumpsite and the distribution of munitions within the site.

(2) It was agreed that UK and Irish scientists will co-operate on the methodology and methods of analysis for the study and they will jointly review the data emerging.

(3) The gas pipe-line between Scotland and Northern Ireland will not be commissioned until its safety has been assured following assessment by the UK Health and Safety Executive. UK and Irish scientists will liaise in relation to this issue.

(4) The re-mapping of the dump site will be completed before a decision is made on the route of the proposed electricity interconnector between Scotland and Northern Ireland. The installation of the interconnector will draw on lessons learned from the laying of the gas-pipe line.

(5) Based on the studies which are now to be carried out, the UK Ministries intend to issue guidelines on the management of activity around the dump site.

(6) When the 1996 study of the Beaufort Dyke dump site is completed there will be a further meeting in Dublin between the two UK Ministers and Minister of State Gilmore to assess the results and to discuss what further steps are required at that stage.

I am very pleased with the outcome of this meeting and I am satisfied that a high degree of co-operation has been achieved.

In response to the Deputy's question in relation to the discoveries of U-boats on the ocean floor off the Donegal Coast, the position is that at the end of 1945 and during 1946, the UK authorities scuttled approximately thirty-seven German U-boats in an area extending from 18 miles out to 45 miles off the North-North West coast of Malin Head at depths ranging from 54 to 110 metres of water. These boats were scuttled following decommissioning during the course of "Operation Deadlight" which was an operation to dispose of the surrendered German submarine fleet at the end of the last war. A further 17 U-boats were lost in action during the Second World War and are scattered in areas up to 90 miles off Malin Head at depths of 50 to 100 metres. These U-boats have been charted on British Admiralty Charts. Because of the depths at which they are located they pose no danger to navigation.