Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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590. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if the natural heritage, environment, division and the water quality section will fall under the remit of the Minister for communications, climate change and natural resources; if this Department will have the word "environment" included in its title; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14532/16]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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A range of functions currently undertaken by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government will transfer into my Department in the coming weeks and the Department will be renamed the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment to reflect this.  In addition to its current functions, my Department will assume responsibility for the following sections from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government:

- Environment Policy & Awareness;

- Climate Policy;

- EU and International Environmental Policy;

- Waste Policy & Resource Efficiency;

- Air Quality/Environmental Radiation Policy;

- Environment Advisory Unit.

The heritage functions currently discharged by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht will remain with that Department under its new title of the Department of Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht.

Water Quality will be the responsibility of the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government.