Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 553: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the plans and programmes of his Department and related State agencies which have been identified as requiring strategy environmental assessments under the European Communities (Environmental Assessment of Certain Plans and Programmes) Regulations 2004; and the number of such assessments which have been carried out or are in progress to date. [16371/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Transposition of the SEA Directive (2001/42/EC of 27 June 2001) in respect of land-use planning is achieved through the Planning and Development (Strategic Environmental Assessment) Regulations 2004. With effect from 21 July 2004, Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is mandatory in the case of the preparation or review of Regional Planning Guidelines; City and County Development Plans; Development Plans by Town Councils, where the population of the area is 10,000 persons or more; Local Area Plans for areas with a population of 10,000 persons or more, and Planning Schemes in Strategic Development Zones (SDZ). The development of River Basin Management Plans and the review of the National Hazardous Waste Management Plan and Regional Waste Management Plans will also be subject to SEA.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a designated environmental authority under the Planning and Development (Strategic Environmental Assessment) Regulations 2004 and must be consulted on every draft SEA. I understand from the EPA that, at end 2005, approximately 15 SEAs were in progress and 8 SEAs were completed in relation to categories of plans for which local authorities are responsible.