I move amendment No. 44:
In page 13, between lines 20 and 21, to insert the following:
“(g) by the insertion of the following subsection:
“(7B) (a) Notwithstanding anything elsewhere in this section, a planning authority shall not grant an extension to the duration of a permission under this section, except where—
(i) the effect of this section in extending the duration of the permission consequent on this section will result in an alteration of a minimal period only, or
(ii) in circumstances where the development the subject of the permission, is—
(I) a project or activity which falls within the scope of Article 6(1) of the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters done at Aarhus, Denmark, on 25 June 1998, that—
(A) the public have been consulted,
(B) the requirements of the Transboundary Convention have been observed in respect of any such consultation, and
(C) that in an effective decision on whether to amend and thus extend the duration of the permission or not under subsection (6), that due consideration has been taken account of the comments and outcome received during the consultation,
and that—
(iii) all further screening determinations and assessments required to comply with the State’s obligations as a member of the European Union, have been conducted and complied with given that any consideration of altering the duration of the permission under subsection (6), is effectively a revisiting of the authorising decision for the activity or development in question, including under—
(I) Directive 2011/92/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011, as amended by Directive 2014/52/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 amending Directive 2011/92/EU on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment,
(II) the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive,
(III) the Birds Directive,
(IV) the Habitats Directive, and
(V) the Water Framework Directive, in particular Article 4 thereof,
and
(iv) that consultation and assessment obligations under the Transboundary Convention have been fully complied with in the context of and decision to amend the duration of the permission under subsection (6) is effectively a revisiting of the authorisation for the activity or development in question.
(7C) (a) The Minister shall prescribe regulations for the purposes of the public consultation requirements necessitated under subsection (7B), and to identify and provide for the screening, assessment and other determinations necessary under subsection (7B).
(b) Notwithstanding anything elsewhere in this Act, this subsection will commence on enactment.”,”.