Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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Question 396: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if and when he intends to transpose into law Article 17 of the Aarhus Convention; and if he will amend the planning process in order that there will no longer be multiple agencies, making planning decisions on the same project with no obligatory consultation resulting in different decisions being reached by the different agencies (details supplied) [34542/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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My Department is currently examining options to prohibit an applicant from submitting a stand-alone environmental licence application to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in certain cases unless it is clearly established that mandatory or sub-threshold EIA is not required in respect of the proposed activity. Alternatively, if EIA is necessary, the applicant would be required to submit a planning application and an Environmental Impact Statement simultaneously with, or in advance of, the environmental licence application. In the interim, for certain environmental licence applications on hand, an administratively based analysis of such cases is being carried out jointly by the EPA and An Bord Pleanála to identify any situations that would require assessment under the EIA Directive.