Written answers

Tuesday, 9 May 2017

Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

Foreshore Licence Applications

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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259. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the procedures that are used in the screening of submissions received (details supplied); the parameters applied to make the selection; if the EIA and AA screening processes were not carried out prior to June 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22078/17]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Formal Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Appropriate Assessment (AA) screening processes are undertaken by the Marine Licence Vetting Committee (MLVC) as part of the assessment of a foreshore licence/lease application, on foot of which a decision is made whether to seek an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Appropriate Assessment (AA) screening will focus on whether the project alone or in combination is likely to have significant effects on a Natura 2000 site in view of its conservation objectives.

The MLVC met to begin an assessment (including EIA and AA Screening processes) of the application concerned on 20 February 2017 and the process is on-going. There was no meeting of the MLVC for the purposes of assessing this application prior to June 2016. In this case, formal assessment of the application only began after the following:

1. The conclusion of all consultation periods (public and prescribed body);

2. Examination of each submission (550+) received throughout all public consultation periods and categorisation of the supporting statements or objections contained within each submission;

3. Provision of each submission (550+) and a summary of objections to the applicant;

4. Provision of a response by the applicant to each category of objection;

5. Examination of each submission received from a prescribed body, provision of those submissions to the applicant and receipt of the applicant's response in each case.

The Marine Planning and Foreshore Unit in my Department does not screen submissions received under either the prescribed body or public consultation processes. All submissions received within the consultation period in relation to a particular application are taken into account in full in assessing the application.

All submissions received during the three public notice periods, including those from both the Public and the Prescribed Bodies and the responses by the applicant to the objections raised in the submissions, are being fully considered by the MLVC in assessing any potential environmental impact of the proposed development. A document categorising the objections received through the public consultation, the submissions received from both the prescribed bodies and through the public consultation, as well as the responses from the applicant can be viewed on my Department's website at: .

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