Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 126: To ask the Minister for Defence the implications for personnel working in the naval base and dockyard of the intended expenditure on the clean-up of the former Irish steel plant; is it expected that relocation or other disruption will be involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32549/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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In June last the Government decided that the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine would chair a Working Group to oversee the clean-up of the former Ispat site on Haulbowline Island. Cork County Council are acting as an agent of that Department on the technical aspects of an application to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a landfill licence. The preparation of the application to the EPA and consideration of it by them is likely to take up to eighteen months. While close co-operation is being maintained with the EPA it is only when the licence is granted that the full details of the extent of the remedial works will become known. The Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine has also convened a steering group to advise him on the project as it gets underway. The Naval Service is represented on this steering group.

As an immediate step to deal with sea water washing onto the East Tip of Haulbowline, Cork County Council will be undertaking work to repair about 30 metres of the sea wall on the Tip. This work, which will be completed in the coming weeks, has no implications for the staff of the Naval Service. Arrangements have been made for staff representatives in the Naval Service to be fully briefed in advance of these works commencing.