Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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680. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 236 of 1 March 2017, if her Department's observations dated 13 May 2016 requested by the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government on an application (details supplied) are based on a thorough examination and robust scientific assessment of the application and its supporting documentation as a whole; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14151/17]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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681. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 236 of 1 March 2017, if she is satisfied that her Department has properly advised the public and the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government on an application (details supplied) when officially consulted in March and April 2016 by the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, in view of the concerns raised by 555 public submissions and an organisation's observations on the application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14152/17]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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682. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 236 of 1 March 2017, if her views on whether her Department's observations remain appropriate in view of the 555 submissions which include a submission from an organisation (details supplied) as stated in her reply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14153/17]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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683. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide a list of all the in combination issues that were considered by the National Parks and Wildlife Service in its observations dated 13 May 2016 requested by the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government on an application (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14154/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 680 to 683, inclusive, together.

As previously outlined to the Deputy, my Department, through its National Parks and Wildlife Service, provided observations on the application in question, and I am satisfied that they were appropriate.

My Department noted that the development is unlikely to have a negative interaction with Natura 2000 nature conservation sites due to the nature and location of the works, but set out a number of mitigation measures that should be required to avoid any negative interaction with protected marine mammals, including provision for further consideration of devices which might be deployed in the future.

My Department’s role here is to provide advice in relation the conservation of habitats and species as a Statutory Consultee and it has done so. The decision in this matter resides with the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government and he will have sight of all relevant submissions when making the decision. My Department will provide any further assistance or advice if so requested by him.