Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 January 2018
1317. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if offshore oil and gas exploration and exploitation including particular fields have been afforded the status of national strategic importance; and the reasons for designating or not designating the sector as such. [1814/18]
View answerThe Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Act 2006 provides for the making directly to An Bord Pleanála rather than to local authorities of applications for planning permission in respect of certain proposed developments of strategic importance to the State. This encompasses certain elements of a petroleum development as set out hereunder.
Where a person intends to carry out a strategic gas infrastructure development they prepare an application for approval of the development under section 182D as inserted in the Planning and Development Act 2000, and an environmental impact statement in respect of the development, and apply to An Bord Pleanála for approval. Strategic gas infrastructure development is defined as any proposed development comprising or for the purposes of a strategic downstream gas pipeline or a strategic upstream gas pipeline, and associated terminals, buildings and installations, whether above or below ground, including any associated discharge pipe.
The Act also provides that an application for permission to be considered by An Bord Pleanála and not a local authority can be made in respect of the following projects:
- an installation for the onshore extraction of petroleum or natural gas;
- an oil pipeline and any associated terminals, buildings and installations, where the length of the pipeline, whether as originally provided or as extended, would exceed 20 kilometres.
In 2010, An Bord Pleanála gave approval under the Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Act for the construction of the onshore Corrib Gas Pipeline.
