Parliamentary questions

Foreshore Licence Applications

Anne Ferris

886. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the marine licence vetting committee had the appropriate jurisdiction to approve the offshore grid elements of the Codling 1 foreshore licence application and to grant approval for same; the legislative source of any assumed powers in this regard; if he will confirm that the offshore elements of the Codling 1 project will require planning permission over and above the foreshore licence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11524/15]

Foreshore Licence Conditions

Anne Ferris

893. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the internal departmental authorisation process that resulted in applicants for an offshore wind licence for an organisation (details supplied) being granted a lease in 2004, without having first submitted an authorisation to construct, a licence to generate and a licence to supply electricity (details supplied), all described as prerequisites for the application of a foreshore lease by Sustainable Energy Ireland in a 2004 report entitled, Offshore Wind Energy and Industrial Development in the Republic of Ireland; his views regarding the administrative process that sanctioned such a departure from procedures, including the existence of formal approvals; the name and position of the sanctioning officers and-or Minister; if this apparent departure from accepted procedure was sanctioned by him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11732/15]

Climate Change Policy

Anne Ferris

895. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the Government's proposal for the formation of an expert advisory council on climate change, particularly on the rationale behind the current proposal not to confine the membership to persons with independence from stakeholder interests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11774/15]

Climate Change Policy

Anne Ferris

896. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015, as recommended by Government, contains no numerical target for emission reduction and fails to incorporate a definition of low carbon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11775/15]

Climate Change Policy

Anne Ferris

897. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015, as proposed by the Government, fails to include any reference to climate justice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11776/15]

Climate Change Policy

Anne Ferris

898. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason the Government has extended to two years the deadline to provide a national mitigation plan under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11777/15]

Nuclear Plants

Anne Ferris

909. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if any agency of his Department has prepared a submission or is otherwise involved in consultation regarding the ongoing approval process by the Office for Nuclear Regulation for the Westinghouse nuclear reactor in Cumbria, England; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11935/15]

Wind Energy Generation

Anne Ferris

944. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the fact that no public body or Government Department is maintaining an accurate or usable record of full planning permission granted to wind farms, including his Department, the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, or the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland; his further views on the difficulty the lack of such information poses for the assessment of compliance with renewable energy targets; the assessment by planning authorities of the need for any further renewable energy planning proposals; the scope of future strategic energy planning to be conducted by his own Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11407/15]

Wind Energy Generation

Anne Ferris

952. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Communications; Energy and Natural Resources if an application has been made to the Commission for Energy Regulation regarding the Codling Bank offshore wind park and the status of any such application; if this aspect of the project will now fall under a new administrative process for Projects of Common Interest; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11987/15]

Wind Energy Generation

Anne Ferris

953. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Communications; Energy and Natural Resources if an application has been made to EirGrid with respect to the grid connection for the Codling Bank offshore wind park; if this aspect of the project will fall under a new administrative process for projects of common interest; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11988/15]

Wind Energy Generation

Anne Ferris

954. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Communications; Energy and Natural Resources if he will outline the review process for Ireland's list of projects of common interest and the likely timing of the next review to include the appropriateness of listing wind energy projects which rely on the existence of an export agreement with the United Kingdom which as we know has been declined by the United Kingdom Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11989/15]

Departmental Strategy Statements

Anne Ferris

1003. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans for a national landscape strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11397/15]

Natural Heritage Areas Designation

Anne Ferris

1004. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans to convert the 630 proposed natural heritage areas across the country to full natural heritage areas; the timeframe involved to designate the sites as full national heritage areas; the extent of environmental destruction that may have occurred in the 20 years since these sites were first proposed for full protection; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11400/15]

Departmental Bodies

Anne Ferris

139. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide the names, technical qualifications and method of appointment of the individual members of the marine licence vetting committee that assessed the environmental impact assessment for the Codling 1 offshore wind park project for which a foreshore lease was granted in 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10662/15]

Environmental Impact Statements

Anne Ferris

140. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the extent to which the proposed grid connection to the Codling 1 offshore wind park was subjected to an environmental impact assessment as part of the granting of a foreshore lease in 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10663/15]

Coillte Teoranta Lands

Anne Ferris

134. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the legislative basis under which the opening hours for Coillte operated car parks throughout County Wicklow are operated; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that such car parks may be closed by Coillte at times as early as 4 p.m., including at weekends; if his attention has been further drawn to the adverse restrictions that such inconvenient closing policies may have on tourism in the county and the road traffic impacts caused by visitors avoiding car parks for fear of their cars being inadvertently locked in; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9824/15]

Magdalen Laundries

Anne Ferris

162. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will commit to making a scheme available under her Department to assist Magdalen survivors in availing of complementary therapies. [9858/15]

Legislative Process

Anne Ferris

163. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will confirm that the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill 2013 will be enacted in 2015. [9862/15]

Magdalen Laundries

Anne Ferris

164. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will commit to providing personal advocates to all Magdalen survivors who are deemed to lack capacity, whether they are living in institutional settings, in the care of the relevant religious orders or in the community. [9863/15]

Magdalen Laundries

Anne Ferris

165. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when the dedicated unit will be established; the number of officers who will be provided to assist survivors in understanding their entitlements; if the dedicated unit will provide personal advocacy services to women who are living in institutional settings or in the care of the relevant religious congregations; when the consultation process for the setting up of the unit will begin; and the way membership of the advisory body will be decided. [9864/15]