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

I have a question that I wish to put to the officials from the Department.

The Department has issued guidelines which we assume are based on the engineering assessment of best practice. Today it was said that those guidelines are not binding. What is the point of guidelines, if they are not binding? Most people who are building their homes or running businesses understand there is a regulatory environment. The concern is that the guidelines for Irish Waters and others to implement are not binding. It is puzzling why we have a Department with oversight if the guidelines it issues are open to interpretation and can be dismissed arbitrarily. I am sure that would be a very serious concern for people paying attention to the proceedings.