Dr. Aedín McLoughlin:

I would like to answer Senator Mooney's question regarding the investigations taking place. I feel we are going down the same route taken before on other issues that turned out to be extraordinarily contentious and caused enormous division in the community. This is because no public consultation is being carried on currently. For example, when I heard the list of organisations represented on the steering group that is sitting to examine the terms of reference of the new research document, I noticed there is no community representation. In a situation where a policy decision will mean direct action in a community area, the community should be involved at every stage. We have reputable organisations and have experts involved in the campaign, so there is no reason the people of the area that will be affected cannot be involved.

Also, saying there "will" be public consultation at some stage is not in the spirit of the Aarhus Convention. I put it to the Government that it needs to take the aspect of public participation in decision-making far more seriously.