Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

During our deliberations, a number of issues arose that we would ask the Equality Budgeting Campaign to clarify in advance of the presentation so as to help our consideration. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Petition No. 00075/12 is from Ms Melissa Halpin seeking the revocation of a foreshore licence granted to Providence Resources plc to drill in Dublin Bay. It also seeks a public inquiry into the granting of the foreshore licence by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government on the basis that the consultation process was inadequate. As the foreshore licence was voluntarily surrendered by the company in question, that element of the petition is deemed to be closed. However, the committee has agreed that, as part of its oversight brief, to keep the petition open. The petition was referred to the Joint Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht in the context of that committee's consideration of the new legislation to incorporate the foreshore consent system in the planning process. The environment committee replied that it had referred the matter to the Minister, Deputy Hogan, asking that he inform it of whether he intended to amend previous domestic legislation. That legislation will be amended within the enactment of the maritime area and foreshore (amendment) Bill.

The recommendation from our team, agreed while we were deliberating, is to note the response of the Joint Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht and to forward a copy of this response to the petitioner for her information. The committee secretariat will continue to monitor this issue. Is that agreed? Agreed.