Vol. 543 No. 2
73 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if proposals regarding the signature by the Government of the Council of Europe's European Landscape Convention have been finalised; if so, when they will be submitted to Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26043/01]
114 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he has submitted proposals to Government in relation to the signature by the Government of the Council of Europe's landscape convention; if the convention will be ratified in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23527/01]
I propose to take Questions
Nos. 73 and 114 together.
Proposals on the signature by Ireland of the convention have been finalised by my Department and arrangements are now being made to secure Government approval to this signature. A number of recent measures have been taken to strengthen the approach to protection and preservation of landscapes in Ireland. These include the introduction of new legislative provisions in the Planning and Development Act, 2000, and the issue by my Department for public consultation of draft guidelines for landscape and landscape assessment. These and other measures are designed to support implementation in Ireland of the requirements of the new convention.
Has the Government memorandum been distributed to all the appropriate Departments? Is the Minister of State aware that a conference of the signatories will be held on 22 November and that there will be an opportunity for new signatories to sign up to the convention? Will Ireland be ready to sign up to it by that date?
It may be possible. My Department has been preparing proposals for submission to the Government regarding the signa ture of the convention. These proposals are being forwarded to the Department of Foreign Affairs for submission to the Government in due course. That is the normal procedure for an international convention. It might be noted there was no common EU position on this convention. Eleven EU countries have signed the convention to date. However, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom have not signed it yet. While the convention was open for signature on 20 November, there was no obligation on Ireland to sign it at that time. I understand only one country has so far ratified the convention. I will see if it can be signed prior to the forthcoming conference.
I remind the Minister of State that 21 European countries have signed up to the convention. He mentioned the draft landscape guidelines. I understand that consultations took place on these guidelines in July last year. When does the Minister of State expect to send the final guidelines to the local authorities? A number of decisions, for example, in relation to wind farms, have been held up pending the issuing of these draft guidelines.
They were published in June this year. The submissions received during the public consultation process are being considered in the Department.
