Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I accept that the committee has little choice but to respond to the petitioner indicating that the petition is closed. In the intervening time since Ms Halpin, on behalf of the Save our Seafront campaign, submitted her petition, the group's aim has been achieved in that Providence Resources has been forced to withdraw its application. The Government has indicated that the maritime area and foreshore (amendment) Bill will address the concerns expressed by the petitioner regarding public consultation and planning issues.

I acknowledge that the committee cannot take the issue any further, but it is right that we would indicate to the petitioner, as we have agreed, that if the Bill does not deal satisfactorily with the issues of public consultation, recourse to justice on planning decisions on the foreshore and so on, she should feel free to come back to us. The group the petitioner represents and other groups have argued, and I agree with them, that the proposed heads of the Bill do not deal adequately with the issues of public consultation and a proper regime for dealing with planning and development on the foreshore. I would like to think that will change. In the meantime, I accept that the appropriate forum for that debate is the environment committee. It is right and proper that the petitioner should have the right to come back to us when that is done and dusted if, in her view, the legislation is not satisfactory.