Trevor Sargent
Ceist:159 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment the reasons for the decision to grant permission to Muingnaminnane landfill, County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Local Authorities Landfill Decisions.
Trevor Sargent
Ceist:160 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment the reasons for the decision not to grant permission to Ballypatrick landfill, County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Wexford): I propose to take questions Nos. 159 and 160 together.
Decisions by the Minister for the Environment in relation to the environmental impact assessment of local authority developments, such as referred to in the questions, are made and publicly notified in accordance with the provisions of Part IV of the Local Government (Planning and Development) Regulations, 1990. Such decisions have regard to the relevant environmental impact statement and to any submissions or observations made in the matter within the appropriate period. In the cases referred to, the Minister considers that the decisions speak for themselves and do not require supplementary elaboration beyond the above statutory process.
Trevor Sargent
Ceist:161 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment the current instructions to county councils in relation to the closure and monitoring of landfill sites.
Wexford): I refer to the reply to Question No. 80 of 1 April 1993. A copy of the guidelines therein referred to is available in the Oireachtas Library.
Trevor Sargent
Ceist:162 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment if, in view of the fact that the fee for the Environmental Impact Study into Kill landfill, County Kildare, and the fee for the additional information was £90 and that Kildare County Council have had to seek further clarification, he will give his views as to whether all environmental impact studies are carried out to the highest standards.
Environmental impact assessment has a key role to play in environmental protection by facilitating detailed examination of the likely environmental consequences of development proposals. The Government are committed to having effective procedures for such assessments. The Environmental Research Unit of my Department has arranged for research on the quality of environmental impact statements carried out to date. The results of this research will be published in due course. I expect that this work will be of assistance to those preparing such statements and to me, in considering measures to strengthen the EIA process as proposed in the Programme for a Partnership Government.
Trevor Sargent
Ceist:163 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment if his attention was drawn to the Environmental Impact Statement into Kill landfall, County Kildare, in any form, before it was submitted to Kildare County Council.
Wexford): The answer is no.