Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 July 2017
1714. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the detail of the members of the marine licence vetting committee, MLVC; the process used by the MLVC for the assessment of foreshore applications (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36589/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFor all foreshore lease/licence applications, the application and supporting documentation together with all the submissions received from both the prescribed bodies and the public are considered in detail during the course of undertaking a technical evaluation of the application. Screening under Environmental Legislation, including the Birds and Habitats Directives (Environmental Impact Assessment and Appropriate Assessment Screening), will be formally carried out at this stage.
Only after these steps have been completed and the application fully assessed will a recommendation be made by the Marine Licence Vetting Committee (MLVC) or, where the application is of a class or nature that does not require the convening of the MLVC, a member of my Department's Water and Marine Advisory Unit (WMAU). Following the technical evaluation a completed report is provided by the MLVC or WMAU and is included as part of the submission for determination to the Minister with responsibility for the foreshore consenting process at the time.
Regarding the foreshore licence application for the Galway Bay Cable Project (FS 005751), as the nature and scale of the proposed works did not require the convening of the full MLVC, the Report for the application was completed by a member of my Department’s WMAU. A copy of the report can be viewed on my Department’s website at the following link: http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/migrated-files/en/Foreshore/ApplicationsandDeterminations/MarineInstitute/Determination/FileDownLoad%2C41155%2Cen.pdf.
In the case of the foreshore lease application for the Atlantic Marine Energy Test site (FS005726), the Marine Licence Vetting Committee (MLVC) met on 13 September 2012 to discuss this application.
The MLVC Report and Addendum to the MLVC Report may be viewed on my Department’s website at:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/planning/foreshore/applications/sustainable-energy-authority-ireland-seai.
I will write to the Deputy shortly regarding details of the membership of the MLVC for the purposes of assessing the application concerned.
