Pat the Cope Gallagher
Ceist:58 Mr. Gallagher (Donegal South-West) asked the Minister for the Environment if his Department was involved in consultations about the setting up of the Masonite plant in County Leitrim.
Written Answers. - Masonite (Leitrim) Plant.
Colm M. Hilliard
Ceist:82 Mr. Hilliard asked the Minister for the Environment if his Department was involved in consultations about the setting up of the Masonite plant in County Leitrim. [12583/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 58 and 82 together. The replies given by my colleagues, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry and the Minister for Enterprise and Employment to Questions Nos. 20 and 172 on 20 June last explain that Government approval of the Forbairt investment in this plant was sought and granted on 15 December 1994 subject to a number of conditions, including conditions relating to necessary planning permission and environmental licences. Such conditions are standard in Forbairt grant agreements. My Department was not involved in consultations in regard to this decision. In this context, I should explain that I have no function in relation to individual applications for planning permission or environmental licences; these are entirely a matter for the planning authority, An Bord Pleanála and the Environmental Protection Agency.