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Dáil Éireann - Volume 227 - 05 April, 1967

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Oil Pollution.

16. Mr. Barrett asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he will make a statement on the possibility of pollution of Irish beaches by oil from the Torrey Canyon; and if he has had or intends to have any discussions with the British Government on the matter.

17. Mr. S. Dunne asked the Minister for Transport and Power if Bord Fáilte or any other agency have any proposals for the prevention or remedy of possible pollution of south-eastern or southern beaches by oil from the Torrey Canyon.

18. Sir Anthony Esmonde asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he anticipates any danger of the oil at present polluting the south coast beaches in the UK affecting Irish [913] beaches; and, if so, if he has means to prevent this pollution.

19. Mr. O'Hara asked the Minister for Transport and Power what steps he proposes to take to protect Irish coastal waters from oil pollution in view of the increased risk from wrecked oil tankers such as the Torrey Canyon wrecked off Land's End.

20. Mr. Ryan asked the Minister for Transport and Power what Ministers are making arrangements with him to ensure that all necessary steps are taken to prevent the pollution of the Irish coast and coastal waters by oil from the Torrey Canyon; if he will give details of the plans which will be put into operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

21. Mr. S. Dunne asked the Minister for Transport and Power whether any international conventions exist relating to oil pollution of beaches or damage by other seaborne cargo; if so, whether Ireland is a party to them; and what do they provide.

22. Mr. Andrews asked the Minister for Transport and Power what international agreements cover a situation such as that arising from the sinking of the Torrey Canyon; and if Ireland is a party to such agreements.

23. Mr. Andrews asked the Minister for Transport and Power what steps, if any, he has taken to keep under constant review the danger of oil pollution to the east coast of Ireland and other areas arising from the sinking of the Torrey Canyon.

24. Mr. S. Dunne asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he will take steps, in conjunction with other appropriate Government departments, to provide for international safeguards in the matter of protection of property and wild life which may be endangered by oil pollution, particularly in view of the stated prospects of Whiddy Island, County Cork becoming a large oil depot and the southern and western approaches developing a constant traffic of large ships carrying oil.

[914] Mr. Lalor: With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 to 24 together.

I have been following very closely the progress of events in Britain since the stranding of the Torrey Canyon, and my Department has maintained contact with the British authorities. I am advised that the danger of Irish beaches being affected by oil from the tanker is remote. The nearest Irish beaches are north-west of the oil spillage. The tidal movements in the area of the casualty are predominantly west to east and vice versa. South-east winds, which might counteract the tidal flow, tend to be short-lived and occur much less frequently in April than in March. In the unlikely event of the oil reaching our coast in large quantities, the task of preventing or remedying pollution of beaches would not be a matter for a particular agency such as Bord Fáilte, but would call for the employment of all available State and local authority resources.

With a view to getting all available information about the action necessary in such an eventuality, I arranged for officers of the Departments of Transport and Power, Defence and Local Government to visit the scene and to report back to me. Inquiries have also been made about the practical measures planned by the public authorities in France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Because of the unprecedented nature of the Torrey Canyon casualty, there is a general lack of experience as to the most effective and desirable methods of combating the ensuing oil pollution, and it is, therefore, particularly important that all lessons possible should be learned from the course of events in Britain and the thinking of other countries concerned.

The British Government have asked the Council of the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation, known as IMCO, to convene an extraordinary session on this question in the immediate future. Ireland is a member of the organisation and would, of course, strongly support any practicable proposals which might emerge in due course.

A Convention on Oil Pollution was [915] drawn up by IMCO in 1954, and revised in 1962. These instruments have been accepted by the Government but they do not provide a solution for the present problem. The Convention aims at reducing the risk of oil pollution by making it an offence for tankers or other vessels to discharge oil or oily waste into the sea within certain prohibited zones. It provides for the imposition of penalties on masters or owners who deliberately discharge oil, but it does not cover the case of accidental discharges such as the Torrey Canyon, nor does it touch on the problem of how to dispose of the oil once it has got into the water.

When the Gulf Oil Company's proposal to set up an oil terminal at Whiddy Island in Bantry Bay was first mooted, the question of preventing possible oil pollution in the area was raised by officers of my Department with the company and the Commissioners of Irish Lights. This matter is still under active consideration and everything possible will be done to ensure the maximum degree of safety from pollution.

Mr. S. Dunne: Does the Minister for Transport and Power not consider it most essential that all possible steps should be taken, quite apart from the possibility of a disaster like that of the Torrey Canyon occurring off our coast, to ensure that our coast will not suffer from the kind of oil discharges which have been the subject of international complaint over quite a long period? In view of the fact, as I have indicated in my question, that there will be quite considerable traffic in large tankers in connection with the Whiddy Island project, would the Minister not consider it desirable that some of these tankers should be on the Irish register instead of plying, as most of them do now, under the Liberian flag? This would have the effect of giving us at least some control in the management and conduct of these ships. It would also bring revenue to the country in the form of taxation and would provide employment for Irish seamen.

[916] Mr. Corry: Would the Minister not consider moving the project from Whiddy Island to Dublin?

Mr. Dillon: Would the Minister kindly tell us what does he think Bantry Bay will look like in ten years time?

Mr. Aiken: Like Cork Harbour.

Mr. Barrett: Would the Minister consider taking up with the international organisation he mentioned the prohibition of the building of giant tankers, realising what would happen if a 200,000-ton tanker went down in the Irish Sea? Every beach on the east coast would be destroyed for a long time to come. Would the Minister consider that aspect?

Mr. M.P. Murphy: Would the Minister also consider that 99 per cent of the people around Bantry Bay and West Cork welcome this project.

Mr. Dillon: God help us. What will it be like in ten years time?

Sir Anthony Esmonde: Could the Minister further——

Mr. S. Dunne: Can I have an answer to my supplementary question?

Sir Anthony Esmonde: ——indicate what ships he will have available in the event of oil appearing off our beaches to deal with the menace, because, to my knowledge, we have only one naval vessel available? Has the Minister made arrangements for others to come back?

Mr. Lalor: As I explained in quite an elaborate reply, we do not think the eventuality will arise.

Sir Anthony Esmonde: My question is: if it does arise?

Mr. Lalor: I think we should cross our bridges when we meet them.

Mr. L'Estrange: That is what happened in relation to the Second Programme for Economic Expansion.

Mr. Lalor: The Torrey Canyon catastrophe was an act of God and I do not think we should make elaborate [917] plans in the unlikely event of a disaster of this kind occurring again. In reply to Deputy Barrett, there is no fear of a 200,000-ton tanker going down in the Irish Sea because such a tanker will not be allowed into it. The question of the danger to Bantry Bay is a far wider issue. The implications are far greater than have been mentioned and we should, I think, be careful not to interfere in any way with the development of the particular project there.

Mr. S. Dunne: In view of the fact that I have not got a reply to my supplementary question, I should like, with your permission, Sir, to raise the matter on the Adjournment. Mine was a constructive suggestion and I did not get a reply.

The Taoiseach: What difference does the colour of the flag make to oil pollution?

An Ceann Comhairle: There are seven questions on the Order Paper and the Deputy will have to indicate which question he wishes to raise.

Mr. S. Dunne: I have three questions down.

An Ceann Comhairle: If the Deputy will give me notice as to the question, I will consider the matter.

Mr. O'Hara: Am I to take it from the Minister's reply that the way in which the wind will blow in future will be a very important factor? In view of the serious doubt that exists, because the wind can change very quickly, has he taken the necessary steps against that hazard, of the wind changing, and the effect this oil pollution will have on our coast?

Mr. Lalor: I explained that what was important was the way the tide flowed and not the wind.

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