European Council Meeting.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 June 2005

Tuesday, 28 June 2005

Ceisteanna (129, 130)

Enda Kenny

Ceist:

122 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will make a statement on the EU Council of Environment Ministers meeting held in Brussels. [22296/05]

John Gormley

Ceist:

126 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will report on the Environment Council of 24 June 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22369/05]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr. Roche)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 122 and 126 together.

A full report of the Environment Council meeting of 24 June 2005, held in Luxembourg, is available on the Council website http://europa.eu.int/pol/env/index_en.htm. The most significant outcomes of the meeting were: agreement on a draft directive on the protection of groundwater against pollution; agreement on a draft directive establishing an infrastructure for spatial information in the Community; the adoption of Council conclusions on a Community strategy concerning mercury; the adoption of Council conclusions concerning the dismantling of ships, underlining the need to ensure the safe and environmentally sound management of ships dismantling to protect human health and the environment and a qualified majority vote of Council against Commission proposals to repeal national measures in relation to certain genetically modified organisms.

Question No. 123 answered with QuestionNo. 72.

Question No. 124 answered with QuestionNo. 69.

Question No. 125 answered with QuestionNo. 78.

Question No. 126 answered with QuestionNo. 122.

Question No. 127 answered with QuestionNo. 39.

Question No. 128 answered with QuestionNo. 77.