Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

I state clearly that this is an area of personal interest to me. I was not involved in formulating the response given that I was asked to take this Adjournment matter at short notice. I am pleased to be here and in a position to speak both personally and on behalf of the Government.

There is an urgency to this issue. I spoke to the Minister for Foreign Affairs briefly before coming to the House and I undertook to speak to him as soon as possible afterwards to convey Senator Ross's comments. Before I saw what the Department had prepared I conveyed my concerns to him regarding recent moves by several United Nations member states. The United Kingdom, in particular, is moving to establish its entitlements, as it sees them, to the seabed around Antarctica and other parts of the world, including Rockall. This presses us into action. The panic over mineral exploration is causing countries to dispose of their platitudes in some cases when it comes to protection of the natural environment. The realities of climate change, which require that we do not burn everything that is left, seem to have been set aside in the rush to colonise the last vestiges of mineral resources.

I appreciate Senator Ross's point as to the urgency of this issue. He will understand that I cannot offer an exact date for when the interdepartmental body will respond. I will make clear his and my concern to the Minister and also make clear that this is a matter of urgency which should not receive the same reply the next time it is raised. I hope the issue will have moved on by then.

As I stated in my reply, the Government view is that the Antarctic should be considered in the same way we consider the deepest ocean or outer space; it is beyond nation state entitlements or ambitions and should instead be set aside as a common heritage area. I am sure this will remain the Government's position.