Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 April 2021
160. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of outstanding applications with his Department (details supplied); the number applied for over the past five years; the outcomes; his plans for streamlining the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18059/21]
View answerIn the past five years for County Mayo my Department has received thirteen applications for a foreshore consent that come within my remit under the Foreshore Act 1933, as amended, for proposed works and activities on the foreshore. Of the thirteen applications received, eight have been determined, four are currently under consideration and one was recently withdrawn. Further details of these applications can be found in the attached spreadsheet and on my Department's website.
My Department has also received three additional pre-applications for proposed works or activities on the foreshore which are currently the subject of a standard technical review. In the event that these proposals are cleared to proceed to full application status, details of these applications will appear on my Department's website.
It is intended that the Maritime Area Planning Bill will replace the existing State consenting regime under the Foreshore Act and streamline arrangements on the basis of a single consent principle i.e. one state consent called a Maritime Area Consent or MAC to enable occupation of the Maritime Area and one development consent (planning permission), with a single environmental assessment to take place at the planning stage.
The final legal text of the Marine Area Planning Bill (previously titled, Marine Planning and Development Management Bill) is due to be published in the near future.
