asked the Minister for the Environment if he proposes to publish a policy document on environmental protection.

A statement on Government environment policy generally was issued in January 1982. A report on the state of the environment was subsequently commissioned from An Foras Forbartha and is expected to be completed shortly. The need for further policy documents will be considered in the light of the report.

The environmental advisory group in the Department submitted a document that was accepted as Government policy some time before January 1982, or at least a statement was issued in January 1982. Is the Minister suggesting that An Foras Forbartha have been sitting on this since January 1982?

I do not say they were sitting on it. They were asked to prepare a report and my information is that we will have it shortly. Such a matter of policy takes time to formulate. When we get the report we will be in a position to see what is the need for a further policy decision on the question of the environment.

Will the Minister state what environmental policy, as distinct from policy on housing and sanitary services, is being followed by his Department? What are the guidelines if he has not got an environmental policy on which to work?

Quite recently we commissioned a water management study of Dublin Bay and there are also operations within the EC. The matter of lead in petrol will be coming up at the next meeting of the Council of Ministers in December and there is also the question of emissions from large combustion plants. All these matters are ongoing in the Department. However, from time to time there should be a broad review of environmental policy. An Foras Forbartha are the State agency in this regard and they will report to us and on the basis of their report we will ascertain what further areas we should be looking at with regard to the environment.