Consultation on the Draft Arterial Drainage Maintenance Activities 2022-2027 and associated SEA Environmental Report and AA Natura Impact Statement Report

The OPW (as the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland) has statutory responsibility for the maintenance of drainage schemes completed under the Arterial Drainage Acts 1945 and 1995, as amended.

Arterial drainage maintenance is an ongoing programme of activities of a cyclic nature. The OPW has now published the Draft Arterial Drainage Maintenance Activities 2022-2027 for consultation.

In accordance with Directive 2001/42/EC of the European Parliament and Council of 27th June 2001 on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment as transposed into Irish law by the European Communities (Environmental Assessment of Certain Plans and Programmes) Regulations 2004, as amended, a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the Draft Arterial Drainage Maintenance Activities 2022-2027 is being carried out. An Environmental Report has been prepared which assesses, at a strategic level, the likely significant effects on the environment of implementing the Draft Arterial Drainage Maintenance Activities 2022-2027.

In compliance with Article 6 of Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21st May 1992, commonly known as the Habitats Directive, on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora as transposed into Irish law by, inter alia, the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats). Regulations 2011, as amended, an Appropriate Assessment is also being carried out and a Natura Impact Statement has been prepared to inform the determination as to whether the Draft Arterial Drainage Maintenance Activities 2022-2027 will impact on the integrity and conservation objectives of relevant European Sites.

The OPW now invites submissions, observations and comments on the Draft Arterial Drainage Maintenance Activities 2022-2027 and associated SEA Environmental Report and AA Natura Impact Statement.

Documents

These documents are available for public inspection during opening hours at the following OPW Arterial Drainage Maintenance Offices:

• Main Street, Headford, Co. Galway H91 RX79
• Templemungret House, Mungret, Co. Limerick V94 EK07
• Newtown, Trim, Co. Meath C15 K8V0

How to get involved

Submissions can be made in the following ways:

• By email to sea@opw.ie

• By post to Environment Section, OPW, Main Street, Headford, Co. Galway H91 RX79

Submissions will be accepted from Friday 28 October 2022 to Friday 23 December 2022, up to 5pm. Submissions will not be accepted outside this consultation period.

All submissions received within the time period will be welcomed and will be taken into consideration before finalising the Arterial Drainage Maintenance Activities 2022-2027.

Information about Submissions received

We are committed to engaging with stakeholders in a clear, open and transparent manner. Any person or organisation can make a submission in relation to this consultation. Individual responses to submissions will not be provided however all submissions and feedback will be considered before the finalising the Arterial Drainage Maintenance Activities 2022-2027.

Please note that responses to this consultation are subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2014 (FOI), Access to Information on the Environment Regulations 2007-2018 (AIE) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Please also note that we may publish the contents of all submissions received to our consultations on our website. We will redact personal data prior to publication. In responding to this consultation, parties should clearly indicate where their responses contain personal information, commercially sensitive information or confidential information which they would not wish to be released under FOI, AIE or otherwise published.

We would like to draw your attention to our Data Privacy Notice which explains how and when we collect personal data, why we do so and how we treat this information. It also explains your rights in relation to the collection of personal information and how you can exercise those rights.