Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I refer the Deputy to section 214(1), which states:

A competent authority shall, for the purpose of carrying out a screening for environmental impact assessment under section 207 in relation to a relevant development that has been or is being carried out, take account of any likely significant effects on the environment that— (a) have occurred,

(b) are occurring, or

(c) could reasonably be expected to occur, by reason of the development’s having already been carried out.

Section 214(2) then refers to "An environmental impact report prepared in accordance with section 211 in relation to an application for retrospective consent". The screening is to see whether it falls under the conditions for a substitute consent application.