Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

Molaim don Teach na leasuithe a rinne Dáil Éireann sa Bhille seo le déanaí. The Bill was amended and passed by Seanad Éireann in October 2000. It is an important Bill which copperfastens practices for heritage protection and public consultation in the context of the dumping at sea permits. As a consequence of recommendations made in this House it requires the publication of application and permit details on the website of the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources at www.dcmnr.gov.ie. Those details are available on the website since 1 January 2001 in anticipation of the enactment of this Bill. The opportunity had to be taken to amend the Bill in Dáil Éireann to give effect to a number of policy developments and to changes since 2000 in the titles and functions of certain Ministers involved in the administration of the Dumping at Sea Act 1996.

More importantly, the Bill addresses concerns about the transparency of the application and permitting process. The text of what is now section 5 of the Bill incorporates 13 Dáil amendments for that purpose.

I commend the efforts of my predecessor as Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Browne, in piloting the Bill through the Dáil and for sponsoring many of the improvements to it currently under consideration by Members of this House. I am grateful to the Members of this House, where the Bill was initiated, for their participation at that time in a very comprehensive debate, and to the Members of the Dáil.

With the Cathaoirleach's permission and for the benefit of the House I will give some explanations of the amendments. Amendments Nos. 5 and 8 deal with policy developments.