Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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580. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures his Department has put in place for the enforcement of the EIA (Agriculture) Regulations 2011. [24093/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) (Agriculture) Regulations were introduced in 2011 and amended in 2013 and 2017. The Regulations stipulate where a screening application or consent application is required and must be submitted to my Department.

A screening application must be submitted to my Department where an individual intends to carry out works that exceed one of the thresholds or where sub-thresholds trigger the requirement for screening as set out in the Regulations.

An application for consent is required where the proposed works exceed the threshold for mandatory Environmental Impact Assessment or, where following screening, my Department considers the works are likely to have a significant effect on the environment and the works may not proceed without consent.

When an application is submitted to my Department it is subject to an ecological assessment and an on-site inspection. The final decision is then made based on whether or not the proposed activity may have a significant effect on the environment.

Where reports of potential breaches of the Regulations are brought to our attention they are investigated by the Inspectorate of my Department.

In addition, as part of the Programme for Government, my Department has committed to a full review of these Regulations. This review will also include a review of procedures for dealing with applications. This review will take place very shortly and I encourage all stakeholders to get involved in the consultation process.