Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 531: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will provide the reasons Directive 2003/4 of 28 January 2003 on public access to environmental information has not been transposed into Irish law; and the defence he will be presenting to the European Court of Justice in the case being taken by the European Commission against Ireland due to the fact that transposition is already two years late. [8770/07]

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 532: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the reason the regulations, giving full effect to Directive 2003/35 of 26 May 2003 providing for public participation in respect of the drawing up of certain plans and programmes relating to the environment and amending with regard to public participation and access to Justice Council Directives 85/337/EEC and 96/61/EC, have not been implemented. [8771/07]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 531 and 532 together.

The process of transposing the Directives referred to is well advanced and will be completed as soon as possible. I intend to make regulations transposing Directive 2003/4/EC on access to information on the environment in the near future. Work is continuing on the transposition of Directive 2003/35/EC regarding public participation in respect of the drawing up of certain plans and programmes relating to the environment. It is intended that these actions will resolve the proceedings initiated by the European Commission.