IRISH ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION

Directive 2009/147/EC (O.J. L 20/7 of 26 January 2010) of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 (úthe Birds Directiveù) on the conservation of wild birds provides for the conservation of wild birds by, among other things, classifying important ornithological sites as Special Protection Areas. The hyperlink http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/natura2000/sites_birds/index_en.htm which connects to the European Commission Environment (Nature and Biodiversity) website also contains a further link to the text of the Birds Directive. The effect of these Regulations is to designate a site as a Special Protection Area in accordance with Article 4 of the Directive. The geographical area of the Special Protection Area designated by these Regulations is defined by Schedule 1 (a map or maps of the area) and Schedule 2 (a list of the townlands in question / a description of the area). For more detailed maps than those contained in Schedule 1, or for greater detail on boundary delineation, contact should be made with the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht or by viewing the relevant text or map details on www.npws.ie. The bird species cited in Schedule 3 of these Regulations are specified, in accordance with the Directive, in order to ensure their survival and reproduction in their area of distribution. Under Article 5 of the Directive all species of birds are afforded protection from disturbance, capture and damage to nests and eggs, not just the birds listed on Schedule 3 (with the exception of those birds covered under Articles 7 for hunting and 9, where derogations are listed). Those operations or activities requiring the consent of the Minister listed at Schedule 4 to these Regulations are cited for their potential to cause disturbance or damage to the bird species and their habitats specified in Schedule 3 of these Regulations. Landowners or occupiers should contact the local National Parks and Wildlife Service office of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht before undertaking any of the works listed at Schedule 4. (See www.npws.ie for contact details). Please note that operations/activities other than those listed at Schedule 4 to these Regulations, such as effluent discharge, construction work, aquaculture, fishing or forestry require a licence or permission from the appropriate consent authority. These Regulations provide (Regulation 6) that contravention of the provisions of these Regulations shall constitute an offence. Regulation 6 also provides for penalties

These Regulations transpose Chapter III and Annex V of Directive 2010/75/EU on industrial emissions, revoking and replacing the Large Combustion Plant Regulations 2003 ( S.I. No. 644 of 2003 ). These Regulations apply to combustion plants, the total rated thermal input of which is equal to or greater than 50 MW, irrespective of the type of fuel used. These Regulations set out special provisions for combustion plants in order to reduce acidification, ground-level ozone and particles by controlling emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) and dust (particulate matter (PM)) from large combustion plants in power stations and industrial installations running on solid, liquid or gaseous fuel. Combustion plants must comply with emission limit values (ELVs), enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which set limits for each plant on the maximum concentration of a pollutant emitted by the plant. Maximum concentration standards (ELVs) are set for both new and existing plant and revised ELVs are to apply from 2016. These Regulations allow for a Transitional National Plan (TNP) to be notified to the European Commission for consideration for approval. A TNP may be applied to older combustion plants (i.e those operational before November 2003) to cover the period January 2016 to June 2020. A TNP allows for collective compliance for older combustion plant by allowing included plants to pool their emissions to be assessed on an overall volume (rather than concentration) basis at the end of each year. This provides flexibility and additional time for operators of older combustion plant to comply with reduced ELVs. A TNP must provide for an appropriate balance between protection of the environment and cost-effective abatement solutions.

These Regulations amend the Waste Management (Batteries and Accumulators) Regulations 2008 as amended and are intended to give effect to Commission Decision 2009/603/EC establishing requirements for registration of producers of batteries and accumulators in accordance with Directive 2006/66/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on batteries and accumulators and waste batteries and accumulators.

S.I. No. 528/2012 Dangerous Substances (Retail and Private Petroleum Stores) (Amendment) Regulations 2012.

These Regulations give effect to the provisions of Commission Delegated Directive 2012/51/EU of 10 October 2012 through the amendment of the European Union (Restriction of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Regulations 2012 ( S.I. No.513 of 2012 ) as amended by the European Union (Restriction of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment) (Amendment No.1) Regulations 2012 ( S.I. No. 514 of 2012 ) Commission Delegated Directive 2012/51/EU amends for the purposes of adapting to technical progress, Annex III to Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards an exemption for photoresistors for analogue optocouplers applied in professional audio equipment containing cadmium. As the substitution of cadmium in those photoresistors is still technically impracticable they are therefore exempt from the prohibition on the use of cadmium in electrical and electronic equipment.

These Regulations give effect to the provisions of Commission Delegated Directive. 2012/50/EU of 10 October 2012 through the amendment of the European Union (Restriction of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Regulations 2012 ( S.I. No. 513 of 2012 ). Commission Delegated Directive 2012/50/EU amends for the purposes of adapting to technical progress, Annex III to Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards an exemption for PZT based dielectric ceramic materials for capacitors which are part of integrated circuits or discrete semiconductors containing lead. As the substitution of lead in those materials is still technically impracticable they are therefore exempt from the prohibition on the use of lead in electrical and electronic equipment.

These Regulations give effect to the provisions of European Parliament and Council Directive 2011/65/EU on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and revoke the Waste Management (Restriction of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Regulations 2005 ( S.I. No. 341 of 2005 ) as amended by the Waste Management (Restriction of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 ( S.I. No. 376 of 2008 ). These Regulations aim to improve the safety of electronic products and prevent the release of hazardous substances into the environment. The prohibition on heavy metals and other dangerous chemicals in electrical and electronic equipment has now been extended to a wider range of products. The previous RoHS Regulations covered several categories of electrical and electronic equipment including household appliances, IT and consumer equipment, but the scope has now been extended to all electronic equipment, cables and spare parts.

The purpose of these Regulations is to provide amendments to the European Communities (Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading) (Aviation) Regulations 2010 so as to fully transpose Directive 2009/29/EC, which aims to improve and extend the greenhouse gas emission allowance trading scheme of the Community, as it applies to aviation.