Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister and I give him my best wishes in all fields of endeavour. One of the things I noted about environmental scientists in TCD, which I liked, was men and women wearing Wellingtons as they headed off to do the work in the field. I was surprise to read in the EPA report that the site visits to establish air emissions are carried out by external contractors. Why do the people we appoint not put on their Wellingtons and go out and do the work rather than contract others to do it? When one reads on further in the report, one sees that the sites are monitored only once a year.

A lot more data will be required in order to do this. While a few sites consistently breach their licences, 75% to 80% are fully compliant. We accept between 20% and 25% non-compliance and let somebody else do the work. Out of the budget of €57 million I want to see people doing it themselves.

In respect of the Portlaoise case on which Senator Whelan spoke so eloquently, one of the complainants is another State company. It is not a case of environmentalists seeking to make life miserable for people in Leinster House or for Ministers. There is a complaint that the groundwater near this Enva oil boiling premises is at 1,000 times the EPA limit for groundwater wells. The response is that there are no wells within 5 km of the facility in Portlaoise. I dispute that. I do not know of any place in Ireland that is 5 km away from wells. That has to be independently monitored. I would like to see independent monitors go out from each regional technical college or universities, at the Minister’s request. If the watchdog is not barking, Parliament has to get somebody to bark at, or instead of, the watchdog. More independence in the monitoring sector is needed.

In respect of air, 19% of licensed sites had an EU exceedance of some type. The visits occur only once a year. We need more frequent monitoring of everything, including roads and safety. In respect of the Portlaoise case there must be some independent monitoring. There is undoubtedly a difference of opinion between those who spoke to Senator Whelan and what has been reported to us. It is no harm that every agency faces checks, balances and scrutiny, as we have always said. For the €57 million we need some urgent answers and inspections more frequently than once a year. The people in the organisation that we pay to do the job need to do it.

I wish the Minister well and I am glad to hear that the climate change Bill will be introduced, even if the Minister will not be here to present it.