Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 356: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when it is intended to fully implement the Aarhus Convention. [17808/07]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Ireland signed the Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters on 25 June 1998. Progress towards ratification of the Convention is closely aligned with work at EU level and, in that context, the European Union has adopted two Directives as part of the ratification process for the Convention. These deal with public access to environmental information (2003/4/EC) and public participation in certain environmental decision-making procedures (2003/35/EC).

Regulations transposing the European Communities (Access to information on the Environment) Directive 2003/4/EC were signed and came into effect on 1 May 2007.

The process to transpose Directive 2003/35/EC is already well advanced with legislation already completed to amend a range of consent systems. The remaining work will be finalised by the Departments concerned at the earliest possible date.

Having regard to the above, I will ensure that the instrument of ratification of the Aarhus Convention is submitted to Government and laid before the Dáil as soon as possible.