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Gormley looks forward to the early enactment of the Foreshore and Dumping at Sea Transfer Bill.

14/12/09


The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Mr. John Gormley, TD today (14 December 09) welcomed the recent completion of all stages of the Foreshore and Dumping at Sea (Amendment) Bill in the Oireachtas.

The Minister highlighted key provisions included in the Bill at his request for early service delivery improvements including-

- the provision that will allow the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to make enabling regulations to specify bodies and set timeframes for consultation, where the Minister is considering a foreshore application.

- the direct transfer of the dumping at Sea function from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to the Environmental Protection Agency. This will provide the Agency with the opportunity to fully integrate the disposal of dredge spoil at sea with its current waste management functions.

The Minister welcomed the positive reactions to these proposals from many of the Senators and Deputies who spoke during the various stages of the Bill and confirmed that it is his intention to introduce the regulations setting time-limits for consultations at the earliest opportunity following the transfer of  the foreshore functions.

The formal transfer of the foreshore functions into the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the dumping at sea functions directly into the Environmental Protection Agency will take place one month (January 2010) and two months (February 2010), respectively,  after the enactment of the Bill.

The Minister said “In deciding on the transfer of these functions, Government was guided by the primary role of my Department in relation to environmental protection and sustainable development. Modernisation of the foreshore development consent process can be best served by integrating the onshore and offshore consent processes , particularly given the nature and scale of recent offshore energy infrastructure programme development”. 

The Minister has stated publicly that his key objective is to provide a quality service for all stakeholders – Government, infrastructure providers, State bodies, and the general public – through a model that:
- operates within a “plan-led” policy framework for the approval of activities and  developments  on the foreshore;
- fully integrates and streamlines estate management on the State owned foreshore with the strategic and wider planning consent processes;
- provides a single stage consent process for project approval giving greater certainty of    timeframes, including mandatory pre-applications, a rigorous assessment of  environmental impacts, and full public consultation.

In anticipation of the transfer of these functions into his Department, officials have consulted with a number of  key stakeholders to hear first-hand their views and to outline proposals for the future including the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Change and Energy Security; policy Departments, regulators; NGOs;  Industry Groups, etc.

The Minister looks forward to a continued and wider engagement with all stakeholders as he progresses the modernisation process to meet the newer challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. 

The Minister concluded by stating that officials in the two Departments are working together to ensure continuity of service during the transition period leading to the full transfer of the functions into his Department by  mid January 2010; the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government will shortly announce details of the new arrangements that are to apply following the transfer of functions into that Department next month.

ENDS

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