Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department have been working with Galway County Council in relation to this project since 2016. It is a condition of the planning permission given by An Bord Pleanála that NPWS must agree to method statements relating to the Construction Stage prepared by Galway County Council.

Two method statements prepared by Galway County Council, which outlined the methodology for the ground investigation and archaeological investigations along the N59 (Bunnakill to Oughterard) as part of the overall N59 Maam Cross-Oughterard Project, were submitted in September 2022.

This is a complex case in a designated area. Accordingly, great care has been exercised in giving the matter full and due consideration. The Department have further considered the particular wording of the condition which stipulates that any method statements must be approved by Galway County Council with the ‘agreement’ of the NPWS and Inland Fisheries Ireland. It is not clear, however, as to whether there is any statutory basis for which the NPWS can ‘agree’ such method statements. Moreover, it is for Galway County Council to approve the method statements, and as such, the responsibility for ensuring that the method statements comply with the EU Habitats Directive lies with Galway County Council. The NPWS wrote to Galway County Council on 27 June 2023 setting out their views on this role and have received no further communications from the Council.