Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 6:

In page 11, between lines 12 and 13, to insert the following:

"(vi) the relevant local authority.".

These amendments relate to the matter the Minister of State has tried to deal with in amendment No. 5, which we have just accepted. It is regrettable that his amendments do not make a specific reference to local authorities. Individual projects may affect local authorities from the perspectives of planning and access, for example. Local authorities are in the middle of this stuff, for all sorts of reasons. I cannot understand why the Minister of State wants to deal with the issue I am raising by including a reference to "such other persons as may be prescribed by order by the Minister", rather than by simply referring to "the relevant local authority", as I suggest. I would have thought that in this context, local authorities are as important as, if not more important than, the Department of Health and Children, the National Standards Authority of Ireland or the Department of Transport. If the Minister of State plans to make that a reality by order, I will accept what he is trying to do. I do not see why we are not referring specifically to local authorities. Surely there should be consultation between the Commission for Energy Regulation and local authorities on this issue and similar issues.

See this speech in context