Under Question 1506 the Minister says he can do nothing about the EPA allowing operators to continue work while their application for a licence is considered because he is precluded 'from exercising any power or control in relation to the performance by the EPA of its licensing functions in specific cases.'
In question 1520 he details the Review his Department is conduction of the EPA. Surely if he can conduct a Review he IS capable of stopping the EPA practice through a general instruction, rather than ducking this one on the grounds that he can't interfere in the specific cases. (It can take the EPA up to 6 years from application to grant, while operators are without specific regulation.)
This is particularly nasty (clever) example of how to avoid a question - the question was in fact submitted in general terms but the Deputy received a request for what cases were involved. One was supplied, enabling the Minister to add (details supplied) to the PQ and then refuse the question on the grounds that it was asked about a specific case.
Tony Lowes
Posted on 1 Oct 2010 5:49 pm
Under Question 1506 the Minister says he can do nothing about the EPA allowing operators to continue work while their application for a licence is considered because he is precluded 'from exercising any power or control in relation to the performance by the EPA of its licensing functions in specific cases.'
In question 1520 he details the Review his Department is conduction of the EPA. Surely if he can conduct a Review he IS capable of stopping the EPA practice through a general instruction, rather than ducking this one on the grounds that he can't interfere in the specific cases. (It can take the EPA up to 6 years from application to grant, while operators are without specific regulation.)
This is particularly nasty (clever) example of how to avoid a question - the question was in fact submitted in general terms but the Deputy received a request for what cases were involved. One was supplied, enabling the Minister to add (details supplied) to the PQ and then refuse the question on the grounds that it was asked about a specific case.
tony@friendsoftheirishenvironment.org