Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 679: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of environmental cases of complaint which are currently lodged with the EU Commission at present. [23869/05]

Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 680: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of reasoned opinions from the European Commission which have been registered against the Government on environmental issues. [23870/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 679 and 680 together.

The European Commission is currently in correspondence with my Department in respect of 56 cases relating to possible infringements of EU environmental legislation. Reasoned opinions have been received in 30 of these cases.

Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 681: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of judgments by the European Court of Justice which have been registered against the Government on environmental issues. [23871/05]

Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 682: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when pending decisions of the European Court of Justice relating to the Government on environmental issues are due to be made. [23872/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 681 and 682 together.

There have been 13 judgments against Ireland delivered by the European Court of Justice, nine of which relate to areas for which my Department has responsibility. At this time, the court has not indicated dates for hearings or the delivery of judgments in relation to cases currently before it.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 683: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the institutional arrangements which are being or have been made for the purchase of carbon credits by the Government; the public consultation planned in relation to these institutional arrangements; the guidelines regarding the purchases; if the views of Development Co-operation Ireland have been sought; if the views of environmental non-governmental organisations have been sought; if the views of development non-governmental organisations have been sought ;and the ongoing involvement for DCI as well as or instead of non-governmental organisations is envisaged in advising on and overseeing purchases of carbon credits. [23874/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As part of its measures to comply with its Kyoto commitments, the Government has indicated its intention to purchase quantities of carbon allowances each year in the Kyoto Protocol commitment period 2008-12.

In order for the credits to be purchased on behalf of the State, it will be necessary to put in place institutional arrangements for the actual purchase and management of allowances. These arrangements will be subject to governmental approval and include, inter alia, the designation of a purchasing authority, the establishment of criteria on which to validate proposals, the types of allowances to be purchased, the registration and surrender of allowances and the nature of ongoing advisory arrangements. There is regular consultation on climate change issues with relevant stakeholders through a range of fora and this will continue.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 684: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if mass releases of balloons are in breach of any existing legislation; or if he will consider bringing in legislation, such as exists in other jurisdictions, preventing such releases. [23875/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I am advised that problems caused by mass balloon releases were first highlighted at a conference in Canada in 1989 on plastic and other debris found at sea. Balloons, some still partially inflated, had been found accumulating on islands off the east coast of Canada. In response to these findings some countries curtailed balloon releases. I am further advised of reports showing that an estimated 90% to 95% of released balloons rise to an altitude of five miles where the temperature and pressure is such that they burst into small fragments, with no potential to harm marine wildlife. While there have been reports of marine animals found with balloons in their stomachs, I understand that balloons form an extremely small percentage of potentially hazardous marine debris. It is not proposed at present to introduce legislation prohibiting the mass release of balloons.