Public Consultation on the Natura Impact Statement and Strategic Environmental Assessment for Ireland’s Draft Fifth Nitrates Action Programme

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, T.D., invites submissions, observations and comments on the Natura Impact Statement (NIS) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for Ireland’s Draft Fifth Nitrates Action Programme (NAP).

Ireland’s Nitrates Action Programme is given effect by European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2017 (S.I. No. 605 of 2017), as amended. The regulations contain specific measures to protect surface waters and groundwater from nutrient pollution arising from agricultural sources. The Draft Nitrates Action Programme was developed following an initial public consultation, which was held in late 2020, and a second consultation period that concluded in September 2021.

This NIS has been prepared to inform the Appropriate Assessment (AA) process required under the Habitats Directive and the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011. The overall purpose of the AA process is to ensure that the NAP does not result in any adverse effects on the integrity of any European sites in view of its conservation objectives and to detail proposed mitigation measures needed to avoid, reduce or eliminate likely effects on a European Site or adverse effects on the integrity of a European Site.

The purpose of this SEA Report is to inform the development of the NAP, identify describe and evaluate the likely significant effects of the implementation of the NAP and its reasonable alternatives; and provide an opportunity for the statutory authorities and the public to offer views on any aspect through consultation.

The NIS and SEA processes have been, and continue to be iterative, and are assisting in making the final NAP more robust by fully integrating wider environmental considerations into the programme.

The Department is inviting any interested parties to make submissions to help inform the legislative process.

To get involved, please email your observations or comments by 26 January 2022 on the:

• Strategic Environmental Assessment to wau@housing.gov.ie
• Natura Impact Statement to eau@housing.gov.ie

To assist you, relevant documents may be accessed by clicking on the link below titled 'Documents'. These include the consultation paper and links to related documents and legislation.

All submissions and comments submitted to the Department for this purpose are subject to release under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2014 and the European Communities (Access to Information on the Environment) Regulations 2007-2014. Submissions are also subject to Data Protection legislation.

Personal, confidential or commercially sensitive information should not be included in your submission and it will be presumed that all information contained in your submission is releasable under the Freedom of Information Act 2014.

The information provided by respondents will be used in order to refine the measures in the Fifth Nitrates Action Programme for Ireland.

Please note that submissions received may be made available on the Department’s website, unless otherwise requested. In any event, all submissions received will be subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act and Data Protection legislation. See also the Privacy Statement under the Documents link above.

Nitrates Action Programme - Consultation Report on the Strategic Environmental Assessment and the Natura Impact Assessment