Written answers
Tuesday, 28 June 2011
Department of Environment, Community and Local Government
Environmental Legislation
8:00 pm
Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 328: To ask the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he will provide an update of the table giving the status of European environmental infringement proceedings against Ireland as provided by his predecessor on 22 April 2010; the actions that he will take to have outstanding environmental cases against Ireland resolved; and the resources he is dedicating to this work. [17133/11]
Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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In areas for which my Department has responsibility, the European Commission is currently in formal correspondence in respect of 14 cases relating to transposition and implementation of EU environmental legislation. The following Table, which provides details of these cases, excludes 4 cases responsibility for which has recently transferred to my colleague the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
The Government is giving the highest priority to the transposition and implementation of EU environmental legislation. Efforts are being intensified to bring Ireland into full compliance with EU legislation and to resolving outstanding ECJ infringement cases as quickly as possible. Since my coming into office, my Department has already secured the closure of 4 cases and we will be continuing to put in place the necessary measures to close outstanding cases, some of which are complex in nature and will involve a variety of initiatives, including, for example, the proposed licensing of septic tanks.
I have met with the EU Environment Commissioner, Janez Potocnik, on a number of occasions, most recently at the Environment Council on 21 June to reassure him that every effort is being made to address the Commission's concerns on outstanding cases.
This will continue to be a key priority for my Department in the lead up to the Irish Presidency in 2013.
Article 258 Letter of Formal Notice | Article 258 Reasoned Opinion | Being Referred to the European Court of Justice | Before the European Court of Justice for a hearing or awaiting judgement | European Court of Justice Decision to be Implemented | Article 260 Letter of Formal Notice | Article 260 Second Letter of Formal Notice | ECJ request for fines | ||
75/442/EEC the waste directive | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
80/68/EEC on groundwater | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
85/337/EEC on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
91/271/EEC on urban waste water treatment | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
96/61/EC concerning integrated pollution prevention and control | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
2000/60 Water Framework Directive | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
2002/96/EC on waste electrical and electronic equipment | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
2001/42/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
2008/56/EC establishing a framework for community action in the field of marine environmental policy | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
2009/30/EC Fuel Quality | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
2010/26/EC Emissions from non road mobile machinery | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
TOTAL NUMBER AT EACH STAGE | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 14 |
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