Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

That was because if a person wanted to drain land, he or she had to get permission and if he or she was refused, he or she could not drain it. In most cases a person was not refused permission to do anything. It was indicated he or she had to notify the Department and the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS, if he or she wanted to do any of these things, including draining. If the Department or the NPWS said "No", he or she could not do it, but until he or she asked them, it was not stated he or she could not do it.