Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 305: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food her Departments responsibility under the Foreshore Act 1933 as it relates to approvals for the construction of wind farms off the Irish coast; if the legislation is adequate in view of the level of interest now in the construction of wind farms off Ireland's coasts and the scale of these developments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13104/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is responsible for the administration of the Foreshore Act 1933, including the issue of leases and licences for Offshore Windfarms.

A Foreshore Lease application to construct an Offshore Electricity Generating station will include an extensive Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). In order to determine whether sufficient information has been presented by the developers in their application, a rigorous assessment of the application and EIS is undertaken, both within the Department and by statutory consultees such as the National parks and Wildlife Service.

Once the Department is satisfied that the application is sufficiently detailed, a public consultation process takes place lasting two months. Recent applications have seen over one hundred and twenty organisations consulted. The commencement of the public consultation will be advertised in national and regional newspapers and on the Department's web site. The public consultation phase lasts two months which is consistent with the onshore windfarm consultation process.

The EIS and the consultation submissions are considered by the Marine Licence Vetting Committee (MLVC). This is a committee comprised of a number of specialists qualified to assess the application, including marine scientists and engineers. It is only following the very rigorous examination outlined above that a recommendation is prepared for the Minister on whether a lease should or should not be granted. In addition my Department assesses, on an ongoing basis, the adequacy of the procedures involved.

The Government decided on 2 October 2007 that responsibility for foreshore licensing functions under the Foreshore Act 1933 for all energy developments (including oil, gas, wave, wind and tidal energy) on the foreshore would transfer to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

My Department is currently putting in place the necessary arrangements to ensure the efficient and effective transfer of the appropriate legislation and associated functions.