Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)

The Department of Climate, Energy and Environment, on behalf of which I am taking matter, is responsible for setting the policy and legislative framework within which the key environmental regulators discharge their functions, including the agency with regard to the environmental licensing of large industrial installations. The Minister for Climate, Energy and Environment, Deputy O’Brien, is constrained by the provisions of sections 79(3) and 86(5) of the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992 to exercise any power or control in relation to the performance in particular circumstances by the agency of a function assigned to it. The agency continues to inspect sites where it believes peat extraction may be taking place illegally and has engaged with the relevant local authorities in terms of that sector’s enforcement of environmental legislation.

On the points raised by the Senator, there are various forums at which the agency can be held to account. I encourage him to seek to deal with the agency at those forums.

In relation to the point on the nitrates directive, we put all our faith in the Minister for agriculture, Martin Heydon. I certainly have faith in him.