I refer to your further request made on 11 May, and subsequent email correspondence of 18 May.

Nature Partners CLG will not provide you with the information requested on a voluntary basis.

Yours sincerely

Joseph O’Rourke

On behalf of HMP Secretarial Limited, Company Secretary to Nature Partners CLG

Joseph O’Rourke | McCann FitzGerald LLP | Senior Associate | Direct +353-1-607 1232  | Mobile  +353-87-967 9735
Riverside One, Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, Dublin 2, D02 X576

I refer to your request made to the info@naturetrust.ie email address on 20 February 2023.

You requested all information related to afforestation application CN90557, Stralongford, Co. Leitrim made to DAFM in the name of Nature Partners CLG including information relating to the donation, purchase and / or leasing of the lands concerned by or from Coillte.

We hereby refuse your request on the grounds that Nature Partners CLG is not a public authority for the purposes of the European Communities (Access to Information on the Environment) Regulations 2007 (“AIE Regulations”), and, as Nature Partners CLG is not subject to the AIE Regulations, it is therefore not required to disclose the information requested.

Yours sincerely

Joseph O’Rourke

On behalf of HMP Secretarial Limited, Company Secretary to Nature Partners CLG

Joseph O’Rourke | McCann FitzGerald LLP | Senior Associate | Direct +353-1-607 1232  | Mobile  +353-87-967 9735
Riverside One, Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, Dublin 2, D02 X576

Note: this issue could be addressed through the proposed change to Coillte’s mandate, which passed second stage in Seanad Éireann. Provision could be made via legislation to prevent Coillte from establishing or participating in joint ventures which would limit public transparency and accountability

Judgment By Humphreys J.

Court: High Court

Date Delivered: 22 May 2023

An interim order was sought staying the effect of a foreshore licence prior to the grant of leave to seek judicial review to challenge that licence

WW08-FL0215

Felling

Ballinastraw, Barnbawn, Co. Wicklow

Refused as Coillte “no longer owns the land”

Eastern RBD Inland Fisheries Ireland – Coillte Clearfell 2022 – Batch 2

Received 151% more appeals in 2022 compared to 2021, which was itself a record year for appeals

Completed 227 cases, an increase of 144 on 2021

Delays at any stage of the AIE request process, or inappropriate refusal to release information, jeopardise the ability of requesters to participate in environmental decision-making.

The AIE Regulations and AIE Directive make it clear that there is a presumption in favour of the release of environmental information.

In comparison with recent years, 2022 saw a slight reduction in activity for the OCEI in relation to hearings and judgments. As of 31 December 2022, our Office had five live cases before the Courts, two of which were initiated in 2022.

https://www.gov.ie/en/organisation-information/1e52cb-access-to-information-on-the-environment-aie/#aie-statistics-and-disclosure-log

https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/250274/6c03c21e-db61-4ca6-a3ff-21bf8792582d.pdf#page=null

AIE 2023.11

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AT O’REILLY BROTHERS (WICKLOW) LTD., BALLYLUSK QUARRY, CO. WICKLOW

5 no. documents: 

·         Ballylusk’s self-monitoring for 2021 and 2021 (2 no. documents)

·         Wicklow County Council’s Analysis Reports for 2021 and 2022 (1 no. documents)

·         Wicklow County Council’s confirmation of compliance to Ballylusk for 2021 and 2022 (2 no. documents)

Water table levels were measured using a portable dipmeter at the three wells located in the quarry area (GW1) and at the two nearest residences (GW2 and GW3).

Note: Delay in uploading planning application files, so adding a part 2 with new docs added on 19/4/23

Appropriate Assessment Screening

Drawings – General

3D Views

Elevations

Habitat Directive Screening Report

Landscape Plans

NIS

Economic & Financial Evaluation

Sustainability Statement

Lighting Report

Planning Report

Petrifying Spring Survey

Hydrogeological Investigation

Civil Engineering Infrastructure Report

Plans, Sections, Elevations

Report Request Letter to External Body

Report Request Letter to Internal Staff

Road Layout Plan

Sections

Site assessment report

Sample submissions

Simon Digby

Niamh McGowan

Charlie Fleetwood

Nicholas Makin

Rosemary Kearney

Linda O’Leary

John Darcy

Michael Dolan

Diana McGeachin

Kevin Cavey

Suzanne Bennett

Anna Harvey

Peter Sweetman

Kate Purcell

Lucy McGilligan

AIE request 23/082

Download all as zip file here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-dR46O5KdxLmVvnm8-bFR7LROHABax0I/view?usp=sharing

All projects screened out from AA by Forestry Inspectors

Note: CN91102 sample below

FS procedure is that if Forestry Inspector screens in a project it goes for review by an ecologist; if the Inspector screens it out there is no review.

The listed cases are under the RUS (Ash dieback scheme). They are not subject to public consultation or appeal. 

It would be quite difficult to provide an exhaustive list of all the national environmental protection agencies in Europe, as there are many different agencies across the continent with varying levels of responsibility and jurisdiction. However, here are some examples of national environmental protection agencies for several European countries:

1. Austria – Umweltbundesamt GmbH (https://www.umweltbundesamt.at/)
2. Belgium – Service Public de Wallonie – Direction générale opérationnelle de l’Agriculture, des Ressources naturelles et de l’Environnement (https://environnement.wallonie.be/)
3. Bulgaria – Executive Environment Agency (http://eea.government.bg/)
4. Croatia – Ministry of Environmental and Nature Protection (https://mzoe.hr/en/)
5. Czech Republic – Ministry of the Environment (https://www.mzp.cz/en)
6. Denmark – Danish Environmental Protection Agency (https://www2.mst.dk/)
7. Estonia – Ministry of the Environment (https://www.envir.ee/en)
8. Finland – Finnish Environment Institute (https://www.syke.fi/en-US)
9. France – Agence française pour la biodiversité (https://www.afbiodiversite.fr/)
10. Germany – Federal Environment Agency (https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/en)
11. Greece – Ministry of Environment and Energy (http://www.ypeka.gr/)
12. Hungary – Ministry of Agriculture – National Agricultural Research and Innovation Centre (http://www.naik.hu/index.php/hu/)
13. Iceland – Environment Agency of Iceland (https://www.ust.is/english/)
14. Ireland – Environmental Protection Agency (https://www.epa.ie/)
15. Italy – Ministry of Environment, Land and Sea (https://www.minambiente.it/en/home)
16. Latvia – Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development (https://www.varam.gov.lv/eng/ministry/ministry-of-environment-and-regional-development/)
17. Lithuania – Ministry of Environment (http://www.am.lt/VI/en/)
18. Luxembourg – Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development (https://environnement.public.lu/en.html)
19. Malta – Environment and Resources Authority (https://era.org.mt/)
20. Netherlands – Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (https://www.pbl.nl/en)
21. Norway – Norwegian Environment Agency (https://www.miljodirektoratet.no/en/)
22. Poland – Chief Inspectorate of Environmental Protection (https://www.gios.gov.pl/)
23. Portugal – Portuguese Environment Agency (https://apambiente.pt/)
24. Romania – Ministry of Environment (https://mma.gov.ro/en/)
25. Slovakia – Ministry of Environment (https://www.minzp.sk/en/)
26. Slovenia – Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning (https://www.gov.si/en/state-authorities/ministries/ministry-of-the-environment-and-spatial-planning/)
27. Spain – Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (https://www.miteco.gob.es/en/)
28. Sweden – Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (https://www.naturvardsverket.se/en/)
29. Switzerland – Federal Office for the Environment (https://www.bafu.admin.ch/bafu/en/home.html)
30. United Kingdom – Environment Agency (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency)

It’s worth noting that the names and websites of national environmental protection agencies may vary over time and are subject to change. Additionally, some countries may have multiple agencies or departments that share responsibility for environmental protection, making it difficult to provide a comprehensive list.