Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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142. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that since the Supreme Court judgment, Supreme Court record No. 9/19, High Court ruling 2014/342 JR, there is no valid route open to horticultural peat harvesters through either the planning or licencing processes to continue their business and maintain employment; and his plans to correct the matter. [19258/20]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware of the recent Supreme Court judgment to which the Question refers, concerning the leave to apply for substitute consent system under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and its compatibility with the EU Environmental Impact Assessment Directive.

The judgment and its implications for the planning system are currently being examined by my Department, in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General.  My Department's officials are working to ensure that any measures within the planning system necessary to address the findings of the judgment will be brought forward as expeditiously as possible.

In terms of licensing, I understand that specified peat harvesting activities in the course of business may require integrated pollution control (IPC) licences from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), separate to approvals from the planning system. The IPC licencing process is administered by the EPA, which is under the aegis of the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment.