Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

The Senator's initial point is no longer part of my remit but we dealt with this matter on numerous occasions when I served in the then Department of the Environment and Local Government. Illegal cross-Border dumping appears to be big business. Waste to be disposed of in this way is not just coming from Border counties; it is emanating from counties situated much further south.

As regards his question on prosecutions for dumping, there have been no such prosecutions. I greatly admire all those who apply, particularly the port companies, because they have complied with the new conditions set out in the Bill, even though it has yet to be enacted. We have received good co-operation from those applying, even in terms of providing the user-friendly maps recommended by the Department. The more information submitted with an application, the more expeditiously a decision can be taken. I take this opportunity to inform those who will apply for permits in the future that they should provide as much information as possible and engage in more contact with the heritage section of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the regional fisheries boards, local authorities and harbour authorities to ascertain their views, etc. This will ensure that applications are fast-tracked.

As regards larger projects, decisions on dredging are not taken overnight and permits are not sought immediately. In such cases, a lead-in period will apply, although it will not necessarily apply for urgent projects. A fast-track approach is adopted, for example, where dredging or dumping is urgently required for navigational purposes. Having given a long-winded answer, the short answer is "No".