Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 July 2013
390. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the current status of progress towards implementing the recommendations outlined in the review of the Environmental Protection Agency report of May 2011 including statutory immunity and human health impacts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33322/13]
View answerThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Review Implementation Plan was published on 31 January 2012 and is available on my Department’s website, www.environ.ie. The plan contains a list of 58 actions arising from the review, some of which are a matter for my Department and others which are the responsibility of the EPA and others.
In the plan, I prioritised a number of actions for implementation in 2012, with others to be considered over a longer period as they will require detailed consultation and possibly primary legislation. Details of the expected timeframes for the implementation of individual recommendations were set out in the implementation plan. Implementation of the majority of recommendations is progressing in a satisfactory manner. However, delays have arisen in some areas, particularly those requiring legal advice and/or legislative change. My Department and the Agency have continued to liaise on implementation and I expect to publish a review of progress made in the near future.
The review recommended that immunity from prosecution, as applicable to the EPA in carrying out its functions, be reconsidered. As set out in the implementation plan, I propose to consider this issue, which is likely to require primary legislation if it is decided to progress it, in the latter half of 2013. I note that the EPA is not the only Agency that currently has statutory immunity and it will be particularly important to examine the potential impact of any change in this provision on the ability of the EPA effectively to discharge its statutory functions. Specifically in regard to health impacts, the review recommended the establishment of an additional specialist Advisory Committee to address the interface between the environment and human health. I understand that the Agency has since established an EPA Health Advisory Committee including representation from the Health Service Executive, Health and Safety Authority and the Department of Health, among others.
