Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I draw the Deputy's attention to the fact that guidelines issued by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government under section 28 are addressed to local authorities and not to the public at large or any particular sector of the economy. The guidelines are particular to the functions of the authorities under the planning and development Acts and are issued in the context of that Department's statutory role in overseeing the operation of the local government system and the implementation of policy in relation to local government structures, functions, human resources and financing.

More important, I remind the Deputy that section 7(1) makes provision for the Minister to attach binding conditions to any licence, approval, grant or loan given under the relevant statutory provisions. Such conditions can include the relevant elements of any guidelines, code of practice, or standards of good forest practice produced under section 6(d). I therefore take the view that the matter is sufficiently covered in the Bill and I do not propose to accept the amendment.