Mr. Peter Carvill:

One of the important things to realise about the habitats directive and the way the Department and Minister would see it, and in fact the legislation provides for this, is that each authority that gives consents, under any legislation that has land use impacts or, in this case, impacts on the marine environment, is the competent authority. They are the people who are entrusted with the task of assuring themselves the provision will not have a negative impact on the environment. We act as statutory consultees and as such advise them, but they are the people who make the decisions. Have I answered the Deputy's question?