Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 12 November 2013

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht

Heads of Maritime Area and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2013: Discussion

1:50 pm

Dr. Anne Marie O'Hagan:

Yes, all bar Rockall. It does not include the continental shelf.

With regard to a single regime, at present if one has a development which overlaps the terrestrial and the marine environment, there are two separate processes. One could end up in a situation where one is conducting two environmental impact assessments and two appropriate assessments, AA. This legislation seeks to make An Bord Pleanála the competent authority and have one assessment, be it EIA or AA. That is essentially what is meant by streamlining.