Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)

On line 14, page 14, there is a reference to the European Communities Foreshore Regulation 2009, SI 404 of 2009, which implements the EU public participation directive in respect of the foreshore Acts. This directive is a key component of the Aarhus Convention. These regulations concern the foreshore consents for large projects where an environmental impact assessment is required by regulation.

The words "from time to time" reflect the practice that, as environmental information is received by the Department when processing these applications under the foreshore regulations, the information is made available to the public on the Department's website within days of its receipt. The consequence of accepting the amendment would be that a view could be formed that this information would only need to be made available at designated intervals, as little as twice a year, which would not be in accordance with Ireland's obligations under the convention or the public participation directive and would run counter to the intention of the Senator's proposal.

The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government will continue the practice of making environmental information available on a timely basis. The current practice is to put it on the website within days of it being received. I would not like to create a situation where people would be encouraged to hold the view that they need only do this twice a year.