Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 197: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will provide the information in his possession to show that all local authorities have complied with a requirement (details supplied). [29166/07]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I assume that the Question refers to Directive 2003/4/EC on public access to environmental information. Article 5(3) of Directive 2003/4/EC provides that, where charges are made for the provision of environmental information, public authorities must publish and make available to applicants a schedule of such charges as well as information on the circumstances in which a charge may be levied or waived. This requirement was transposed into Irish law by Article 15 of the European Communities (Access to Information on the Environment) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 133 of 2007).

Furthermore, guidelines for public authorities were issued under Article 14 of the regulations, and public authorities must have regard to these guidelines in discharging their functions thereunder. Section 16 of the guidelines reinforces the requirements arising under Article 15 of the regulations and states, inter alia, that: "public authorities must make publicly available a list of fees, if any, charged for the provision of environmental information and the method by which those fees are calculated. Applicants should be informed of any charges (and details thereof) for the provision of the information they have requested".

The making of the regulations and the guidelines have been notified to public authorities through public advertisements and otherwise. Implementation of the Regulations is a matter for the public authorities concerned.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 198: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will provide this Deputy with the registers or lists of the environmental information held by his Department; and the location where such information can be found. [29167/07]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Access to environmental information held by my Department is facilitated primarily through the Departmental website, www.environ.ie. Under the heading "Our Environment"on the website's homepage, four broad categories of environmental information are listed. Within each category there are links provided to the relevant lists of publications and documents available.

Information on a wide range of environmental subjects is also available from ENFO — the environmental information service of my Department. The website address is www.enfo.ie. There is an extensive database of references available in the ENFO library and their premises at 17, St. Andrews Street, Dublin 2 are open to the public from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm, Monday to Saturday excluding public holidays.

Under the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 and 2003, my Department is required to prepare Section 15 and 16 manuals. These manuals give a general description of the structure and function of the Department, the records held, the services provided, the rules and procedures used for the decisions and determinations of its schemes and enactments. Updated versions of these manuals are being finalised and will be published on our website in early December.