Development (Strategic Gas Reserve) Bill 2026: Committee and Remaining Stages
Seanad Éireann — 2026-07-16
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Joanne Collins (SF), Agricultural Panel

I move amendment No .9:
In page 10, between lines 31 and 32, to insert the following:
“Meaningful public consultation
5. The Minister shall ensure meaningful public participation, including—
(a) accessible publication of all technical material,
(b) community impact assessments, and
(c) public hearings where significant local effects are identified.”.
This amendment is around consultation. Communities deserve to be properly informed and consulted about infrastructure of this scale. This amendment provides for accessible information, community impact assessments and public hearings where significant local impacts are identified. As the Minister of State knows from living in County Clare with wind farms and whatnot, consultation is important because it can be dragged out as if the consultation side for the public is bypassed, they can think there is something going on that may not be going on. It is to ensure that the public are on board and consulted with hearings or public meetings. If this goes ahead, which it will, this proposed amendment would ensure that there is not uproar, litigations and judicial reviews whereby everything gets dragged out. It is just to keep the public informed and consulted throughout.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-07-16/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-27T06:52:17+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-07-16