Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: Committee Stage
Seanad Éireann — 2026-02-25
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Joanne Collins (SF), Agricultural Panel

I move amendment No. 3:
In page 13, between lines 23 and 24, to insert the following:
“(4) The Minister shall cause a copy of any order made under subsection (1) to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made, and the order shall lapse 6 months after the date it is made unless earlier revoked or expressly continued by a resolution of both Houses.”.
I am going to be quick and give a synopsis of each amendment as they have been grouped. They are about oversight. Clear language is what we need and public participation is all we are trying to get through with these amendments. There is nothing too technical about them.
Amendment No. 3 introduces the requirement that ministerial orders be laid before the Houses and lapse after six months if not renewed. It is basically putting a sunset clause in to get out of jail free. If it is not working, we will start over.
Amendment No. 4 provides for public notice and consultation where an exemption from environmental assessment is requested. This would ensure transparency and require the agency to consider and respond to submissions received. Again, it is to keep the public informed and to keep up their participation. If we do not have their trust, it just leads to legal cases down the line and costs both sides money.
Amendment No. 5 is to ensure we can define what "exceptional circumstances" are. It sets clear statutory criteria for granting those exemptions, requires a high evidential threshold, proportionality and confirmation that no reasonable alternative exists. Again, it is just putting in clear language to ensure there are safeguards when it comes to an exemption.
Amendment No. 6 strengthens procedural transparency by requiring publication of the proposed exemption submissions received and for the agency to respond to the conclusions prior to the decision being made.
Amendment No. 7 ensures information published under the section is accessible and understandable, including through plain language and non-technical summaries. Not everybody reading these things is a solicitor, so it is for the general public to be able to understand what is going on.
Amendment No. 8 requires ministerial orders to specify a maximum duration, be strictly limited to what is necessary and be subject to Oireachtas scrutiny under the existing laying provisions.
Amendment No. 12 allows for time periods to be prescribed by regulation while strengthening accountability through mandatory reporting on delays, the reasons for the delays and the corrective actions in the agency's annual report.
Amendment No. 15 introduces public notice and consultation requirements for exemption requests under this section, including a minimum submission period and a reasoned report addressing the issues raised.
Amendment No. 16 defines "exceptional circumstances", which is important so that we will have clear boundaries for what falls into that category. It also sets strict conditions for granting these exemptions to ensure decisions are evidence-based, proportionate and limited to what is strictly necessary.
Amendment No. 17 requires the publication of exemption details, submissions received and the conclusions of determination made to strengthen transparency and accountability. Transparency, accountability and safeguards are key to ensuring the public is brought along with all this.
Amendment No. 18 ensures the information published under the section is accessible in plain language and includes the non-technical summaries.
Amendment No. 19 provides for Oireachtas oversight of ministerial orders and introduces a six-month sunset clause.
Amendment No. 20 requires that ministerial orders specify a maximum duration, be strictly limited in scope and be laid before both Houses in accordance with the oversight provisions.
Amendment No. 24 permits the setting of statutory time periods by regulation and enhances transparency. Members are hearing "transparency" an awful lot but it is key to any of these Bills that the public can see exactly what we are looking to do. There are good sides and bad sides to every Bill and it is about being transparent and upfront about them.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-02-25/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:41+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-02-25