Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 14 February 2024
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport
Large-scale Capital Projects: Transport Infrastructure Ireland
Mr. Peter Walsh:
It is part of it but, over the years, with environmental investigations, one never knows what is enough. It seems the higher we raise the bar, the higher it has to go the next time. It is very easy to express an opinion that says that we have not established beyond reasonable scientific doubt that this project will not have an adverse effect on a qualifying interest within a special area of conservation. When I say that, I am quoting it, because we see it often enough. That can be problematic. We tend to do as much as we possibly can on environmental assessment for projects. Galway was brought up. An Bord Pleanála has now asked that the environmental assessment be resubmitted. Multi-season surveys have to be redone. It will be September before they are complete and that information is provided. The impact of what appears to be doing things comprehensively is significant. That project ended up going back to be remitted to An Bord Pleanála for what could be seen as an administrative error. It made reference to the wrong climate action plan four weeks------
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