John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 111: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the resources his Department has in place to ensure that environmental issues affecting business, such as climate change, sustainable production and sustainable consumption are being adequately addressed. [37930/05]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has a specific policy unit, comprising three staff members dedicated to dealing with environmental policy issues affecting business. The unit is currently engaged on a range of environmental policies, including: climate changes issues such as preparations for the second national allocation plan under the EU emissions trading scheme; the EU environmental technologies action programme; and implementation of the Department's sustainable development strategy.

In dealing with these issues, the unit has access to assistance from the Department's enterprise agencies which have also committed resources to business environmental issues. In addition, staff in other areas of my Department are also engaged on environmental issues which arise in their areas of responsibility. For example, the REACH unit is dealing with the proposed EU regulation on chemicals — REACH — and the Government recently appointed the Health and Safety Authority as national competent authority for the administration and enforcement of REACH in Ireland. It has approved the necessary staff resources to enable the authority carry out this function, including a provision in the recent Estimates.

Enterprise Ireland has an environment policy department staffed by 30 environmental specialists. It provides a range of services to Irish industry including free one-to-one advice on environmental issues by phone or e-mail. Free site visits are available to Enterprise Ireland client companies. Another service provided is a one stop environmental website for industry at www.envirocentre.ie. The website, established in 2002 and part-funded by my Department, provides information including details of EI's supports for industry and guides to environmental legislation. Further services provided are: eco-efficiency audits of active Enterprise Ireland client companies; environmental events and regional fora to update business on environmental developments and address shared environmental problems on a regional or sectoral basis; financial incentives to assist companies in meeting environmental management systems standards to ISO 14001, and to develop more environmentally friendly products known as the environmentally superior products scheme; monitoring emissions to atmosphere and air quality, water and wastewater analysis, aquatic toxicity and respirometry testing and advice on biological effluent treatment. Fees are charged for these services and they are available to all Irish industry. Another service provided is representation on national and EU task forces including the national waste prevention programme, the national waste materials development group and the EU BEST programme to simplify environmental law.

In addition, EI has an environment markets department, which comprises one environmental specialist, three business development specialists and representatives from Enterprise Ireland's overseas offices. It provides business development and international networking for the Irish environmental manufacturing sector.

The Department also avails of the expert resources of Forfás in dealing with environmental issues affecting business. The following environmental issues have been addressed by Forfás. Following consultation with my Department, Forfás undertook, in conjunction with EI and IDA Ireland, a study to ascertain how the development agencies could make best use of environmental aid and fiscal incentives to promote sustainable enterprise development, based upon analysis of best practice in a number of leading EU member states. The current EU guidelines on State aid for environmental protection are in place until the end of 2007. The EU Commission has commenced a consultation process in relation to amending the guidelines. Forfás and the development agencies have provided observations through the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and will continue to liaise and engage with the Department as the review process continues. In relation to the issue of climate change, Forfás represents the development agencies on the National Allocation Advisory Group, NAAG, which considers issues regarding the drawing up the second national allocation plan, NAP, for the EU emissions trading scheme. Last year my Department requested that Forfás undertake an impact assessment study of REACH, the EU chemicals legislation proposal, on Irish industry. The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the potential impact of REACH on key sectors of the Irish economy, and this analysis informed Ireland's national negotiation position on REACH. Forfás is currently undertaking an assessment of national nanotechnology investment options for Ireland. One of the areas of focus is nanomaterials, and their impact on the development of more environmentally friendly products and processes.

I consider that my Department has an appropriate level of resources at its disposal to ensure that the range of environmental issues affecting business are effectively addressed.