asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry if he will make a statement on the ever-growing threat to our forests by acid rain; and if he will initiate a further study because of growing evidence of damage to our forests.

12.

asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry whether there is any evidence of the amount of damage being done to Irish forests by acid rain; and if there are any proposals to deal with this.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 12 together.

There is no evidence to suggest that Irish forests have been damaged as a result of acid rain. I am satisfied that measures already initiated for monitoring of rainfall will enable the situation to be kept under constant review.

Is the Minister aware of the ever-increasing level of sulphur dioxide in the atmosphere and the concern that has been expressed recently by a number of botanists about damage to our forests? Will he inform the House of his attitude to the most recent EC directive on air pollution from industrial sources? Further, will he state if inter-departmental discussions have taken place on this matter?

I am aware of the damage caused by atmospheric pollution to major tracts of forests elsewhere, particularly in Germany. However, I would point out that experts even in that country disagree on some of the factors that they attribute to this problem. Some experts say it is due to bad husbandry but I am not prepared to disregard the dangers as lightly as that. The monitoring of facets of acid rain in Ireland has been undertaken by An Foras Forbartha. Atmospheric pollution is a matter primarily for the Minister for the Environment but, as the House will know, I have a deep interest in this for obvious reasons because of the dangers to our fisheries and our forests. Five sites are being monitored on a daily basis in respect of wet and dry conditions. The sites are at Glencree, County Wicklow, Dublin Airport, Kinsealy, Trinity College and monitoring on a site at Howth will commence shortly. The research branch of my Department — the FWS — are co-operating with the Macauley Institute in Aberdeen and a project is underway to compare the situation in that part of Scotland with the west of Ireland. The FWS are also co-operating with the ESB in setting up a monitoring post in the Slieve Bloom mountain areas. The contacts are ongoing and the situation is being watched with some concern because of the danger involved.

The Minister has responsibility for our forests and this problem will have major implications if it remains unchecked. Will the Minister give his opinion regarding what I would call the disjointed effort at present undertaken by all Government Departments, agencies and local authorities? Would he favour a central environmental protection agency to deal with all aspects of pollution? It is obvious from his answer there is a whole range——

That seems very far removed from the questions on the Order Paper.

The Minister will be aware that a major problem will arise when the ESB generating station at Moneypoint goes into operation in 1985. The Minister will also be aware that substantial grants and loans are available to install in the chimneys at Moneypoint the necessary sophisticated equipment to ensure that pollution will be kept to the minimum.

I appeal to the Deputy in all seriousness not to make long speeches every time he gets up.

It is a very important problem and a major one.

That may be and perhaps the Deputy should request a special debate if the problem is that serious. That disqualifies it all the more for dealing with it at Question Time.

I was putting a supplementary question to the Minister.

The Deputy was making a supplementary speech.

I was asking the Minister if he was aware of the imminent threat that will arise as a result of the Moneypoint station. Now is the time to act because the chimneys will be completed soon and the factory will be brought into production some time in 1985. Grants and loans are available from the Community but they have not been availed of and I ask the Minister to use his influence to see this is done.

The Deputy is asking me to give my view on certain questions.

I am asking the Minister to use his influence.

I am as aware as he is of the dangers. The fact is it is not within the aegis of my Department to decide what goes in to the chimneys at Moneypoint.

What comes out of the chimneys is the Minister's responsibility.

Yes, and I am concerned about that. The Deputy can be assured that this matter will receive the attention it deserves at the appropriate level.

I was not clear from the Minister's first reply if inter-departmental discussions are taking place in relation to problems that may arise from plants such as Moneypoint.

There are statutory regulations governing all inter-departmental discussions in relation to these matters. As I said before, the Deputy can be assured that the attention these matters are getting is commensurate with their importance.