Will the Minister accept that one of the necessary ingredients in the attraction of industry here is to have some kind of waste disposal system? I am talking about industrial waste, toxic or otherwise. Will the Minister's Department give a lead in this direction? Surely they cannot pass the responsibility to small urban district councils and local authorities generally.

This is argument.

The Minister has already announced that legislation relating to waste is being examined to ensure that local authorities are provided with the powers to discharge the appropriate planning and control functions in relation to toxic and other waste.

I am not talking about local authorities. Is there any national plan in this area?

My original reply covered that.

May I take it from the reply that if it were not for the EEC the Government would be doing nothing about trying to prevent the poisoning of the atmosphere?

That is not correct.

That is what it seemed like.

Since the legislation on this matter may be something like two years away, would the Minister consider as an interim measure some arrangement whereby qualified inspectors in his Department would supervise the detoxification of such waste? Surely there is no easy measure that would prevent such an initiative by the Department if we have to wait two years for the legislation.

We will not have to wait two years. This legislation is hanging fire in the Department.

Would the Minister consider some interim measure between his Department and the authorities concerned?

This legislation will come fairly soon and there would be duplication.