IRISH ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION

These Regulations amend the Sea Pollution (Prevention of Pollution by Sewage from Ships) Regulations 2006 ( S.I. No. 269 of 2006 ) on the prevention of pollution by sewage from ships. The broad purpose of these Regulations is: to provide for the establishment of special areas where more stringent criteria apply with regard to the discharge of sewage by passenger ships while in those areas; to oblige a harbour authority whose area of remit falls within a special area to provide adequate facilities for the reception of sewage from passenger ships; and to establish the Baltic Sea area as a special area with regard to the discharge of sewage from passenger ships. 1Refer to Assembly resolution A.927(22), Guidelines for the designation of special areas under MARPOL 73/78 and guidelines for the identification and designation of particularly sensitive sea areas. 2Refer to the Recommendation on standards for the rate of discharge of untreated sewage from ships adopted by the Marine Environmental Protection Committee of the IMO by resolution MEPC.157(55). 3Refer to the 2012 Guidelines on Implementation of Effluent Standards and Performance Tests for Sewage Treatment Plants adopted by the Marine Environment Protection Committee of the IMO by Resolution MEPC.227(64).

These Regulations provide for the transposition of Directive 2009/29/EC, the purpose of which is to improve and extend the greenhouse gas emission allowance trading scheme of the Community. The 2009 Directive aims to improve and extend the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and to provide for a more efficient, more harmonised and fairer system. These changes involve substantial amendments to the original emissions trading Directive 2003/87/EC. Increased efficiency will be achieved by means of a longer trading period, a robust and annually declining emissions cap, and a substantial increase in the amount of auctioning. Greater harmonisation has been agreed in many areas, including with respect to the cap-setting and the rules for transitional free allocation. The fairness of the system has been substantially increased by the move towards EU-wide free allocation rules for industrial installations and by the introduction of a redistribution mechanism that entitles new Member States to auction more allowances. These regulations complete the transposition process. Transposing the 2009 Directive presented an opportunity to consolidate the national Regulations which have been made to date on matters related to the EU ETS, with the exception of Regulations related to the inclusion of emissions from aviation. Accordingly, these Regulations incorporate full transposition of Directive 2003/87/EC, as amended by Directive 2004/101/EC of 27 October 2004, Directive 2008/101/EC of 19 November 2008, Regulation (EC) No 219/2009 of 11 March 2009, and Directive 2009/29/EC of 23 April 2009. As a consequence of this consolidation, the following Regulations are revoked: the European Communities (Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading) Regulations 2004 ( S.I. No. 437 of 2004 ), the European Communities (Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading) (Amendment) Regulations 2005 ( S.I. No. 706 of 2005 ), the Kyoto Protocol Flexible Mechanisms Regulations 2006 ( S.I. No. 244 of 2006 ), the European Communities (Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading) (Amendment) Regulations 2010 ( S.I. No. 161 of 2010 ), and the European Communities (Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 ( S.I. No. 127 of 2011 ).

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 ("the Birds Directive") 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

S.I. No. 470/2012 European Union (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Flood Risk) Regulations 2012.

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These Regulations have the purpose of giving effect to the provisions of Council Directive No. 2011/92/EU of 13 December 2011 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment.

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

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.