Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

As the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children is present, can she let me know, given that my request under Standing Order 31 was not accepted, the date she proposes to publish and implement the cancer strategy in light of the urgency of the matter?

On the newly published Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill, will the Tánaiste make available the advice of the Attorney General given that hidden away in section 31, referring to environmental impact assessment regulations, it states that "any regulation made thereunder in relation to environmental impact assessment shall not apply to anything done under an order made under this Act". Given that the Government has worn a path to the European Court of Justice for all the various transgressions it has made, does she not think it quite out of order that the environmental impact assessment regulations would not apply to this legislation? This legislation will be on a hiding to nothing if it throws out the EU regulations in that manner. Alternatively, having discovered the issue, will the Government withdraw the Bill?

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