Environmental Impact Assessment Consultation Responses

The Department of the Environment has issued a consultation paper which sets out the Department’s proposals for implementing Article 3 of European Directive 2003/35/EC (the ‘Public Participation Directive’), which amends Council Directive 85/337/EEC (the Environmental Impact Assessment or ‘EIA Directive’).

The Public Participation Directive makes amendments to the EIA Directive aimed at developing the public participation and access to justice provisions in EIA. The proposals in this consultation paper apply to the implementation of the amended EIA Directive in relation to projects falling within the planning sector.

The purpose of the consultation is to obtain views on the draft legislation, which places additional obligations on the Planning Service, and in the case of appeals, the Planning Appeals Commission in relation to decision making on the environmental impact of the specified projects. The closing date for receipt of comments is 30 September 2005.