Michael Noonan (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 287: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his assessment of the impact of the Good Friday Agreement, and the resultant cross-Border and east-west co-operation, on measures to protect the Irish environment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16440/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, new relationships based on mutually beneficial partnerships and equality have been established between administrations North and South and east and west. They have enabled us to address common challenges in a mutually beneficial way through enhanced co-operation and joint action on a range of environmental issues including waste management, water quality management, natural heritage, information and awareness, environmental research, environmental impacts of agricultural activities, planning, regional development, fire services and emergency planning.

I will give some examples of North-South co-operation bringing practical environmental benefits to the people of this island. An all-island scheme for the management of waste domestic fridges and freezers was developed by the environment departments on both sides of the Border under the auspices of the North-South Ministerial Council. In the first 13 months of its operation, over 122,000 units have been collected for recycling. The authorities on both sides of the Border are working together to tackle illegal movements of waste. The environmental protection measure of the current North-South INTERREG programme is providing EU support to 20 cross-Border projects, at a cost of €24 million.

The British-Irish Council, the most recent meeting of which was held in Farmleigh on 7 April last, provides a unique and useful forum where representatives of the member administrations can meet to address issues of mutual interest. Since its establishment, the council has acted as a forum for co-operation and exchange of information and has led to a greater appreciation of the valuable relationships between these islands. A programme of work involving enhanced co-operation on environmental areas of common interest, including impacts of climate change and adaptation, waste management, radioactive waste from Sellafield, integrated coastal zone management and follow-up action to the World Summit on Sustainable Development, is being taken forward through the council.