Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 December 2013
413. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide details of Limerick County Council's involvement in stone quarrying and mining operations at Gooseberry Hill, Ballyorgan, County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54238/13]
View answer414. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the role the Environmental Protection Agency has in monitoring stone quarrying and mining operations, specifically at Gooseberry Hill, Ballyorgan, County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54239/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 413 and 414 together.
I have no function in the regulation of operations of this nature, which, for planning purposes are a matter for the local authority concerned, or for An Bord Pleanala on appeal, and for purposes of integrated pollution prevention and control licensing, where appropriate, are a matter for the EPA. Under the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992, as amended, I am precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to the performance by the EPA of its licensing and monitoring functions in specific cases. A small number of Irish extractive sites, subject to the EU Mining Waste Directive, are regulated by the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) licensing code, administered by the EPA as competent authority for the management of waste from extractive industries at Category A facilities under the Waste Management (Management of Waste from the Extractive Industries) Regulations 2009. The monitoring and enforcement of conditions attaching to IPPC licences are a matter for the EPA. All documents relating to IPPC licences are available to view on t he EPA’s website at www.epa.ie.
