IRISH ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION

These Regulations provide for the transposition into Irish national law of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive Directive 2008/56/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 2008, establishing a framework for community action in the field of marine environmental policy. OJ L164. 25.6.2008. p.19. These Regulations require the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, with the assistance of other relevant Ministers, to develop a marine strategy for Irelandôs marine waters. The aim of this strategy is to achieve good environmental status in Irelandôs marine waters by the year 2020 at the latest. For this purpose the Regulations require, inter aliaî • an initial assessment of the status of Irelandôs marine waters, a determination of good environmental status and the establishment of a series of environmental targets and associated indicators in 2012. • the establishment and implementation of monitoring programmes for ongoing assessment and regular updates of targets in 2014. • the development of a programme of measures designed to achieve or maintain good environmental status in 2015 and • the entry into operation of that programme of measures by 2016.

The purpose of these Regulations is to give effect to provisions laid down in relation to asbestos in entry number 6 Annex XVII to the Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council 18 December 2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), as substituted by Commission Regulation (EC) No. 552/2009 of 22 June 2009. The Regulations specify how the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) may issue a certificate to exempt an asbestos-containing article, or category of such articles, from the prohibition on the placing on the market of an asbestos-containing article provided for by Article 67 and Annex XVII of the REACH Regulation. The Regulations set down the procedures for applying for an exemption certificate and the process by which the HSA will make its decision to grant or refuse such a certificate application. There is also a procedure whereby the HAS can revoke any decision to grant an exemption certificate and an appeals procedure whereby decisions of the HSA under these Regulations can be appealed to an appeals officer. The powers available to inspectors in the enforcement of these Regulations are contained in Section 12 of the Chemicals Act 2008.

The effect of these Regulations is to regulate the surf clam Fishery in Waterford Estuary and put in place controls on the fishery such as minimum size of clams to be fished, opening hours and maximum daily amount to be fished per vessel. These Regulations come into effect from 2 May 2011.

The purpose of these Regulations is to implement Directive 2009/125/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 establishing a framework for the setting of ecodesign requirements for energy-related products (recast). The Energy-related Products Directive is a Framework Directive which specifies the framework within which detailed measures (referred to as implementing measures) setting Community ecodesign requirements for specific energy-related products are brought forward by the EU Commission. It is a recast of an earlier Directive (Directive 2005/32/EC) which established a framework for the setting of ecodesign requirements for energy using products and extends the scope of the application of that Directive to a wider variety of products which do not consume energy during use but have a significant contribution to make to energy saving, such as shower heads, insulation materials and water taps. These Regulations also give effect to implementing measures which have been made to date pursuant to both Directives. A list of the products covered and their applicable implementing measure is in the Schedule. The Directive obliges manufacturers, their authorised representatives or, in their absence, an importer of a product listed in the Schedule, not to place the said product on the EU market or put it into service if it does not conform to the applicable implementing measure

The purpose of these Regulations is to amend the Planning and Development (Strategic Environmental Assessment) Regulations 2004 ( S.I. No. 436 of 2004 ) and further transpose into Irish law the provisions of Directive 2001/42/EC of 27 June 2001 (O.J. No. L 197, 21 July 2001) on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment commonly known as the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Directive insofar as the Directive relates to land use planning. These amending regulations introduce changes for SEA relating to consideration of the likely significant effects on the environment of a development plan, a variation of a development plan, a local area plan (or an amendment thereto), regional planning guidelines or a planning scheme in respect of a Strategic Development Zone. The main amendments provided for in these regulations include: • a reduction in the threshold in the case of the mandatory undertaking of an environmental assessment of a local area plan with a target population of more than 10,000 persons to 5,000 persons, or where the area covered by the plan is greater than 50 square kilometres, or where the local area plan is being prepared for a town and its environs; • a requirement for the making of a determination as to the need for an environmental assessment of a local area plan with a target population under 5,000 persons or where the area covered by the local area plan is less than 50 square kilometres; • expansion of the Ministerôs role as a designated environmental authority for the purposes of SEA, and the inclusion of the Minister for Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs in light of the transfer of responsibilities for archaeological, architectural and natural heritage under the remit of that Department; • making plans, reports and decisions more accessible for public inspection, including on the website of the authority; and • specific inclusion of both plans and programmes in Schedule 2A and 2B.

The purpose of these Regulations is to amend the European Communities (Environmental Assessment of Certain Plans and Programmes) Regulations 2004 ( S.I. No. 435 of 2004 ) and further transpose into Irish law the provisions of Directive 2001/42/EC of 27 June 2001 (O.J. No. L 197, 21 July 2001) on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment commonly known as the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Directive insofar as the Directive relates to land use planning. The main amendments provided for in these regulations include: • the inclusion of útown and country planning or land useù within the definition of plans and programmes, together with consistent reference to òplans or programmesô, as provided for in the SEA Directive1 ; •It should be noted that article 3 of SI 435 of 2004 specifically precludes application of these provisions to development plans and their variations, local area plans, regional planning guidelines and planning schemes for strategic development zones, which are covered separately in SI 436 of 2004. • expansion of the Ministerôs role as a designated environmental authority for the purposes of SEA, and the inclusion of the Minister for Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs in light of the transfer of responsibilities for archaeological, architectural and natural heritage under the remit of that Department; and • making plans, reports and decisions more accessible for public inspection, including on the website of the competent authority. The Regulations comes into operation on the 3rd of May 2011. 1It should be noted that article 3 of SI 435 of 2004 specifically precludes application of these provisions to development plans and their variations, local area plans, regional planning guidelines and planning schemes for strategic development zones, which are covered separately in SI 436 of 2004.

The purpose of these Regulations is to designate the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport as the competent authority for the collection and communication of the monitoring data in accordance with the CO2 from Cars Regulation. That Regulation, 443/2009 sets binding emission targets for car manufacturers selling new cars registered in the EU. The aim of the Regulation is to create incentives for the car industry to invest in new technologies. It considers that a comprehensive and accurate monitoring system is indispensable for assessing the manufacturers fleet average specific CO2 emissions in a sound manner. The manufacturing of efficient cars will lead to a reduction of CO2 emissions from such passenger cars and as such will lead to a reduction in transport emissions.

This Order may be cited as the Inland Waterways and Waterways Ireland (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2011.