Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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260. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the timeframe for the granting of an EPA licence to a person (details supplied). [7479/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment seeks to promote environmental protection through putting in place the fiscal policy and statutory frameworks within which the Department and its agencies operate. The Environmental Protection Agency was established as an independent body to, inter alia, monitor the quality of the environment and to ensure overall compliance with environmental protection legislation.

The legislation passed by the Oireachtas to establish the EPA provides that the Agency is entirely independent of the Minister in the exercise of its functions.  I am therefore constrained by the provisions of Sections 79(3) and 86(5)* of the Environmental Protection Agency Acts from becoming involved in any way  with the licensing of installations under the EPA Acts or in the control of installations so licensed.

I would therefore encourage the correspondent on behalf of the piggery to contact the EPA directly at 053 9160600.  Further information on the licensing process can be found on the EPA website at .