Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 222: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the potential implication of the new Directive 2006/21/EC and its implementation for the Tynagh mines site. [40357/08]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Directive 2006/21/EC on the management of waste from extractive industries (known as 'The Extractive Waste Directive'), which is currently being transposed into Irish law by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, provides in Article 20 that Member States shall undertake to compile an inventory of closed waste facilities (including abandoned facilities) located on their territory and causing serious negative environmental impacts or having the potential of becoming in the near future a serious threat to human health. In the draft regulations currently being compiled by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the EPA will be the relevant competent authority under the Directive.

For the last two years, the EPA has been funding the work of compiling an inventory for Ireland. Technical assistance has been provided to the EPA by my Department and the Directive requires the inventory to be made available to the public by 1st May 2012. The Directive does not oblige the Member States to carry out any further studies or action on the included sites.

Tynagh is one of a number of closed mine sites currently being examined in the context of the Inventory. Galway County Council is the competent authority for enforcing planning conditions and relevant environmental protection legislation at the sites, and the EPA has responsibility for enforcing compliance with the conditions of Integrated Pollution Prevention Control (IPPC) Licences for current activities on the site.