January 2019 legislation updates for Ireland.
The European Union (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Peat Extraction) Regulations 2019 (SI No. 4 of 2019) gives further effect to Directive 2011/92/EU on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment, as amended by Directive 2014/52/EU. The Regulations introduce a simpler, more effective and more efficient EPA licensing system that will be fully compliant with the EIA Directive and will operate seamlessly across local authority boundaries. With the introduction of the regulations, peat extraction on an area of 30 hectares or more will be exempted from the requirement to obtain planning permission by regulations being made under section 4(4)(a) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 thereby taking such peat extraction activities out of the planning system and instead addressing them through the more streamlined regulatory approach which builds on the expertise built up in the EPA.
Published: 16 January 2019
The European Union (Ship Recycling) (Waste) Regulations 2019 (SI No. 13 of 2019) implement elements of Regulation (EU) 1257/2013 on ship recycling relating to the authorisation of ship recycling facilities. Articles 13 and 14 of the EU Regulation establish environmental and safety requirements for ship recycling facilities that recycle ships within its scope that will ensure the necessary controls are in place to protect the environment, the health and safety of workers and the population in the vicinity of the ship recycling facility caused by ship recycling activities.
Published: 28 January 2019
