EU to demand integrated plan for coastal management, says McKenna

The European Commission intends to demand integrated coastal zone management plans from member-states, the Green MEP, Ms Patricia McKenna, has said.

Under a new strategy proposed by the Commission, Ireland will have to prepare and implement a plan which didn't get past the drafting stage several years ago. The Irish coastline is being "slowly, but surely, destroyed" by lack of commitment and co-ordination among State agencies on issues such as pollution, she warned.

Speaking at a seminar in Dublin, hosted by Coastwatch, the environmental monitoring body, the Green MEP noted the deteriorating state of the coastline. Rubbish was being dumped and oil spills were taking place regularly, she said. A new EU directive on reception facilities at ports for waste generated by ships and cargo, passed last November, would have to be implemented here by the end of 2002.

Ms McKenna, who is European Parliament rapporteur on the new coastal management strategy, was critical of duplication and lack of co-ordination among the port authorities, Duchas, the Heritage Service, Government departments and local authorities. This related to inspection of ships and prevention of oil spills, illegal dumping and dredging operations. An integrated coastal zone management plan could resolve this situation.

Ms McKenna urged the Government to "have another go" at a plan, rather than wait for a deadline. "It would be good to anticipate EU law for once."

At the Coastwatch seminar, hosted by Ms Karin Dubsky of Coastwatch, it emerged that local authorities must produce oil spill response plans under the new Sea Pollution Act. Ms McKenna said it was essential that the Government gave incentives to encourage use of waste reception facilities by ships and cargo.