Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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483. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if there is anything in legislation that prevents local authorities from including an e-mail address on all public notices that involve inviting public submissions including, for example, Part 8 planning proposals, notices under road traffic legislation, derelict sites notices and so forth; his views on whether it is good practice for local authorities to facilitate submissions by e-mail from members of the public in such instances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49456/13]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Section 12 of the Electronic Commerce Act 2000 provides that where a person is permitted by law or otherwise to give information in writing (whether or not in a form prescribed by law), the person may give the information in electronic form provided that:

(a) if at the time the information was given it was reasonable to expect that it would be readily accessible to the person or public body to whom it was directed, for subsequent reference,

(b) where the information is required or permitted to be given to a public body or to a person acting on behalf of a public body and the public body consents to the giving of the information in electronic form, whether as an electronic communication or otherwise, but requires---

(i) the information to be given in accordance with particular information technology and procedural requirements, or

(ii) that a particular action be taken by way of verifying the receipt of the information,

then the public body's requirements at (i) and (ii) have been met.

Section 248 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 contains a similar provision.