The Government decided in October 2007 that responsibility for a range of matters relating, inter alia, to foreshore licensing, coastal zone management and sea fisheries should be transferred from the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, to the Department of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries. Certain functions relating to foreshore licensing in respect of particular harbours and for all energy developments, along with responsibility for coastal protection, coastal flooding and all other aspects of coastal zone management are to be transferred onwards to my Department, pending preparation of the necessary legislation by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries.
The transfer provides my Department with an opportunity to review existing foreshore legislation, and my officials have been examining the interface between the planning code and foreshore licensing with a view over the medium term to ensuring rigorous environmental controls in relation to foreshore licensing arrangements, and maximum coherence between foreshore licensing and existing land use/development consent procedures.