Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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176. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when a decision will be made on an application which was submitted to his Department by Galway City Council in September 2016 for a foreshore licence for the provision of the Sáilín to Silverstrand coastal protection works and greenway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24990/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The detail of this application was provided to the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs as part of the prescribed body consultee process which all foreshore applications are subject to.  On foot of concerns raised by the NPWS in relation to the proposed development, as outlined in the application, I requested in 2016 that Galway City Council prepare and submit a Natura Impact Statement (NIS) for this project. The NIS which comprises 150 pages (report and appendices) was submitted in September 2016. The NIS and the observations from the National Parks and Wildlife Service relating to the NIS are under consideration in my Department at present.

The Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this time on an application that will come before me for determination.