Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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711. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of the 58 recommendations of a review of the Environmental Protection Agency of May 2011 that are fully, partially and yet to be implemented, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17555/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The Review of the Environmental Protection Agency was completed in 2011 and found that the EPA overall has provided ‘considerable benefit for Ireland’s environment and for the health and well-being of its people.' The assessment of the EPA was structured under a number of themes including:

- Governance,

- Internal Structure and Resources;

- Licensing and Enforcement;

- Assessment and Monitoring;

- Environmental Research and Information;

- Relationship with Stakeholders and

- Legislative Framework.

An Action Plan was developed to consider and address the 58 recommendations contained in the Review. An Implementation Report was published in 2014 and is still available on the EPA website. This Report outlines the follow up actions taken by 2014 in relation to each of the 58 recommendations. It shows that 43 of the recommendations were fully completed, with the remaining 15 “in progress”.

The recommendations remaining are generally more complex or rolling in nature, some with a variety of possible solutions, and/or require further consultation and possibly primary legislation. Furthermore, in the case of a small number of these recommendations, on fuller consideration of the potential implications of their implementation on the effectiveness of the EPA to carry out its important statutory functions, or where practical or technical issues have been identified, it is not proposed to implement them at this time.

I have asked my department and the EPA to prepare a short report on the outstanding recommendations which I will furnish to the Deputy as soon as possible.