Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 November 2017
499. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his plans to include solar farm developments within the environmental impact assessment directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47688/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive specifies projects which, by virtue of their nature, size or location, are likely to have significant effects on the environment and should be subject to EIA. The Directive requires projects listed in Annex I of the Directive to be subject to mandatory EIA and provides that Member States may determine whether projects listed in Annex II of the Directive shall be subject to EIA. Projects requiring an EIA by a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála (the Board), as appropriate, in respect of an application for planning consent are listed in Schedule 5 of the Planning and Developments Regulations 2001 (the Regulations), which transposes the list of projects in Annex I and II of the EIA Directive.
Proposals for individual renewable energy development projects may be subject to environmental impact assessment (EIA) as part of the planning process. Part 2 of Schedule 5 of the Regulations includes certain renewable energy development projects, such as wind energy and, in accordance with the Directive, certain thresholds have been set below which development need not necessarily be subject to EIA. EIA is also required in the consideration of planning applications, other than in the circumstances referred to above, where a development is likely to have significant effects on the environment, having regard to the criteria set out in Schedule 7 of the Regulations.
At present, while solar farm development projects are not specifically listed as requiring assessment under the EIA Directive or under the Planning and Development Regulations, such development proposals may be required by the planning authority to undertake an environmental impact assessment, taking into account the criteria listed in Schedule 7.
The need for undertaking EIAs in respect of solar farm developments will be kept under review by my Department, in consultation with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment.
