Sir, - The Government's failure to consult properly with Ireland's non-governmental environmental organisations appears now to be mirrored in its failure to allow the views of the public itself to be taken into account as required under European law.
The case in point is the recent Irish transposition of the Seveso II directive. This directive, which controls major accident hazards involving dangerous substances, was partially transposed by the Minister for Enterprise, Ms Harney, on December 21st 2000, two years after the required date and only after Commission infringement proceedings for late transposition had been begun.
The Seveso directives aim to prevent the repetition of the disaster that overtook the Italian town of Seveso on July 10th 1976, when a broken valve in a local chemical factory released a cloud of dioxins.
The 1996 directive, which follows from the 1982 Seveso I, requires that "the public must be consulted" in the preparation of the obligatory emergency plans for every development that comes under its scope.
The new Irish legislation, however, requires only consultation with "such other persons, including the public, as appears to the local competent authority to be appropriate to consult with in the circumstances." - Yours, etc.,
Tony Lowes, Coordinator, An Taisce Natural Environment Committee, The Tailors' Hall, Back Lane, Dublin 8.