Colm Brophy
Dublin South-West · Fine Gael · Ireland
“The Minister has outlined very clearly our intention in relation to this matter. We have always been very clear that the ARP would be a temporary provision. It was introduced in 2022 as a response to a crisis, always with the view that it would be phased out. That remains the case.”
“It is important to look at the ARP in the context of what is happening here. We are reducing the payment back to the original rate in order to fulfil the original intention. We thank the people for the generosity they showed in opening their homes to Ukrainians who came to live with us here in Ireland.”
“It is important, as the Minister has mentioned, to recognise and thank all of the people who participated in the scheme, and to recognise the work of the Irish Red Cross and the many people who have made the scheme a success. We recognise that there are difficulties with schemes, and that is why this one has been under constant review.”
“What we want to work towards is a solution which recognises that contribution and which examines how, in the longer term, we can work with the Ukrainian people in our country and with the Government of Ukraine in order to ensure that a pathway exists for them to either continue to live here or, if they so choose, to return home.”
“lreland ratified the convention on International Women's Day, 8 March 2019. Zero Tolerance: Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence 2022-2026 is structured around the four pillars of the convention, namely, prevention, protection, prosecution and policy co-ordination.”
“Some of the treaty provisions relate to the justice sphere and, therefore, Title V of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. In light of Ireland’s position under Protocol 21, the court determined that two decisions were necessary, one to cover areas coming within scope of Protocol 21 where an opt-in is required and another t…”
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“He also said that we had to be honest with people because what people are seeing right across the country is that the numbers are simply too high and he wanted to acknowledge that. That is the totality of what the Tánaiste said and it is the totality of what the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, and I keep on trying to say. We need to be honest and inclusive in total about what we are saying about migration. Most people in this country who were not born in Ireland and who we see everyday are here because we have asked them here. They are here because they are providing essential services, keeping the health service going, building the houses that we need and working in hi-tech businesses. We have gone out and looked for them to contribute and build our society.”
“When politicians get asked a question they do not have an opportunity to answer. He added that what he was trying to say was that migration was a good thing. He said that we needed to get a system where people have a right to stay here and are told that quickly and can get on with their lives and contribute positively to our country and to integrate. He went on to say that he was speaking honestly to the people of Ireland and we were not where we need to be. He said that we had a system that needs change. When people do not have a right to be here and have exhausted their right to be here, they should be deported quickly. If they cannot be deported for some logistical reason, they should at that moment be detained.”
“If you want to be morally superior to others, you have an extra duty of care to make sure your contributions are careful and inclusive of everything. One line has constantly been taken out of remarks made by the Tánaiste. I am going to take a moment to read the bit that these Deputies seem so incapable of following it with. The Tánaiste stated: Let's be honest with people. We are developing a new migration policy here. We are developing a migration system and somewhat doing it in real time. I am very clear that immigration is a good thing. I am very clear that our country benefits from immigration. I am also very clear that immigration or migration into our country [is] lawful. I am very clear... At that point the Tánaiste gets interrupted. He came back to say that he thought this was the challenge with migration.”
“At a certain point, he went out of his way to list all of the things he was not responsible for. Unfortunately, one of the main things he was responsible for during that period in government was the IPAS accommodation system. We are sorting out the problems that came about during that period of time. Some of that was not his fault. Some of it was because of the huge influx that took place. I am willing to acknowledge that he was dealing with a very difficult situation, but we have to have reasonableness and respectfulness about it. We had contributions from Deputies, and in particular from the Social Democrats, none of whom are still here, in which they ranged their fire down on the Tánaiste from the high moral ground.”
“For the most part, we have seen how we can engage and talk about this issue. Respectful debate is the cornerstone of democracy, but I have to call out things when I think they are crazy or are tropes that are just thrown out. We had a Sinn Féin Deputy talk about deportations and border checks in his contribution. It would nearly make me laugh if it were not so serious - to have people in Sinn Féin wanting checks for people going across the Border. They should get real because the biggest border on our island is between North and South. Are they suggesting that we close the Border? There is talking out of both sides of your mouth, but that brings a new level of farce. I have to say I was disappointed with the contribution from the former Minister, Deputy O'Gorman.”
“It was a very interesting debate and I acknowledge the range of views expressed across the House. When I was making notes for my closing remarks, I wrote that I would like to thank all of the Deputies who contributed to this important discussion. I said at the start that I hoped we would have a discussion that was balanced, fair and done in the right way. Most of the contributions were. We need to call a spade a spade. Some of the contributions veered towards an area which I find very worrying. They were contributions that were not fair, not necessarily in criticising the Government, but in terms of using tropes and language that should have no place in this type of debate. We have to acknowledge that debates on migration can be difficult. They will always provoke strong emotions. There are differing perspectives here.”
“They need to see real leadership in this area from us, as public representatives, as Members of this House and as the Government. People who are able and willing to stand up and comment must be allowed to speak and to have their voice heard but we must not pander to the extremes. We must never allow the extremes to win. We must respect what everyone is saying, listen to it fully and work together. For the sake of our country and its long-term future, which will be as a fully integrated modern Ireland with lots of different types of people in it, we must be able to have these discussions and deliver real results out of them.”
“That is why we are committed to continuing to provide practical ways to support local communities involved in integration efforts right across Ireland. Along with the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, I consider it very important, particularly in light of what the country has faced in the past week, that we, as an Oireachtas, can have a balanced conversation that respects all the key requirements of the debate. There must be an understanding that there are very vulnerable people who apply for international protection - they are here in our country and we need to understand, look after and respect the process they are going through - and there are also communities that have very genuine concerns. People in those communities must be engaged with and have an opportunity to have their voice heard.”
“Whether by welcoming refugees, supporting returns or contributing to border management, every state has a role to play and Ireland is no different. The pact also promotes deeper co-operation with countries of origin and transit. We must work upstream by addressing the drivers of migration, tackling trafficking networks and supporting development. We need global solutions for what are global issues. Much of the public focus on the pact has been on those aspects related to reception conditions and assessment procedures for people arriving seeking international protection. However, an important aspect of a well-managed and effective migration and asylum policy is having the successful integration and inclusion policy about which I have been talking.”
“The pact is a landmark in our collective effort to manage migration with fairness, compassion, effectiveness and order. It recognises the need for solidarity and shared responsibility across all member states. It emphasises border protection while upholding international law. Crucially, it allows us to distinguish between those in genuine need of protection and those who do not qualify, thereby enabling swifter and more just outcomes. It is really important to recognise that it does not just benefit the country in question; it benefits people going through the process when decisions can be made for them in a fast and effective way. Our commitment to the pact, alongside other member states, shows we stand together in recognising that no country should be left to face these pressures alone.”
“The EU’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, AMIF, aims to support international protection applicants, programme refugees, beneficiaries of temporary protection and other third country nationals in Ireland. Ireland's total budget allocation for the AMIF 2021-2027 national programme is €63.5 million. The integration and employment of migrants grant scheme is part of the European Social Fund Plus. The total funding under the scheme is €5.5 million, made available over a seven-year period. In 2022, seven projects were approved for total funding of €2.7 million for a three-year period. I announced a second call for funding under this programme in July this year. Ireland has shown its commitment to a common EU-wide solution to migration by opting in to most elements of the EU migration and asylum pact.”
“We are concerned that when people are granted permission to remain in Ireland, we are ensuring that these people are integrated into Irish society. If one is going to have an effective removal system, one also needs to have an effective system for integration when someone is allowed to remain. My Department administers a series of funds to support anti-racism and integration initiatives around the country. I will be announcing the outcome of a funding call for the integration funding next week. My officials are currently finalising the outcomes of that process. The Ireland against racism fund, which is a key part of the national action plan against racism, enables non-government and community organisations to provide projects and local initiatives that combat racism.”
“These orders can be made on the grounds that an individual’s personal conduct represents a genuine, present and sufficiently serious threat affecting one of the fundamental interests of society. The number of removal orders under the freedom of movement directive has increased from 24 in 2024 to 99 so far this year. On Monday, 13 October removal orders were enforced against 23 Romanian citizens who were removed from Ireland by charter flight. A very high bar must be met for a person to be removed under this directive but it is a priority for the Minister and me to ensure that those who meet the threshold are removed from the State accordingly. Our immigration system is not just about faster processing and a more effective system.”
“Participation in the returns measure would ensure that Ireland can benefit from enhanced co-operation and information sharing with other member states. I must emphasise that my Department is not waiting for the European Union to return people who should not be in the State. As the Minister has indicated, returns this year are the highest they have been for 20 years. We have had six charter removal flights so far this year, coupled with a large increase in those being removed on commercial flights. Just this week, 52 people were removed on a charter back to Georgia. There has also been a large increase in EU citizens removed under the free movement regulations.”
“It is the Government’s preference that Ireland is part of the new returns measure. Officials in my Department are continuing to engage with European colleagues to determine the most appropriate means for Ireland’s participation. Any decision to participate would be made following the approval of the Oireachtas. My Department firmly believes that it is in the mutual interest of all member states and Schengen-associated countries to ensure as broad a level of participation as possible to reduce fragmentation to ensure coherence and support operational effectiveness across the Union. As Ireland continues to show its active engagement and involvement in the European Union, I believe that a lack of participation in this proposal could potentially undermine the efforts to bring about effective harmonisation and coherence in the returns domain.”
“If a person is working in a factory, in a shop or in a tech company, and they are working alongside somebody who is paying for their rent at the end of the month, then there is no reason that person, if he or she has an income, should not be making a contribution to their own accommodation. I want to move on now to the area of removals. Part of an effective immigration system needs to be an effective returns system. We are working at national level and with EU partners on this. The proposal for a new returns regulation, as presented at European Union level, would establish a common European system for returns with the aim of a swifter, simpler and more effective returns procedure across the EU, while fully respecting fundamental rights. This proposed new legal framework is a complementary measure to the EU Migration and Asylum Pact.”
“In this regard, a proposal was considered by the Cabinet subcommittee on migration this week, which came from the Minister and me. The programme for Government included a commitment to introduce such a system. It is expected that the proposals will now be developed and timelines for implementation will be finalised and brought to Government in the coming weeks. While I appreciate that this has been a proposal that was there previously, the Minister and I have worked tirelessly on this over the past weeks to ensure we can bring this proposal to Government in the next few weeks. Not all applicants in centres are working but many are. I believe it makes sense that people who are working and paying income tax would make a contribution towards the cost of their accommodation. It is only fair. The system I want is a system based on fairness.”
“Our overall strategic approach is intended to reduce the scale of the demand for accommodation. We want to see the proportion of accommodation provided on State-owned sites increase, with the objective of developing an accommodation system with a reduced reliance on commercial provision. I believe, as does the Minister, that it is particularly important that we move to that process of, by and large, having State-owned facilities so we can provide the best value for money and services: services to the people in those centres and services to the communities that surround them and the best value for money for Irish taxpayers. I also want to introduce a contribution model for people in international protection accommodation.”
“Some of these engagements have been a simple sharing of relevant information through the relevant channels while in some centres it has involved far more detailed meetings with local community groups, local officials, local public representatives, national representatives and other key stakeholders. This work has involved the provision of briefing notes, the organisation of information sessions and responding to queries from both community organisations and public representatives. It has also involved strategic engagement with key Departments and agencies, local government and civil society organisations. It is vitally important that this work continues and that the community engagement team continues to strengthen engagement at local community level.”
“There have been failings in the past and we need to see more improvement in this area. The community engagement team in my Department has a role to share information, to engage, to listen and to help communities prepare for new arrivals. They are doing an excellent job. It is important in these engagements to balance our discussions between recognising the need for urgent shelter for people who are in very vulnerable situations and who are legally entitled to it, and to also recognise the needs and sincerely-held concerns of communities. By necessity, the work of the community engagement team has to date focused on the opening of new accommodation centres.”
“It is important to point out that this is the first time such a strategy has been undertaken and we are determined that our approach to migration is rules based, planned and coherent. The Minister, Deputy O’Callaghan, has gone through in some detail the significant reforms ongoing in the international protection process. This is being done through ongoing legislative reforms, investment in our processing capacity, and particularly with our enhanced co-operation with our EU partners. We are addressing our international obligations and the legitimate concerns of communities across the country. The programme for Government also contains strong commitments on consultation with communities about local services and integration, and to improved communications on migration and integration. Yes we do accept that we need to improve this.”
“Migration benefits our economy, our public services, our infrastructure and has made Ireland a pluralist and more open society. The Government is operating under a clear and co-ordinated strategy to manage immigration in what I want to see, as does the Minister, as a firm, fair and effective way, in a rules-based system. The programme for Government provides a commitment to developing a new migration and integration strategy for Ireland detailing how we intend to meet the demands and the opportunities facing our society and economy over the next decade. This strategy is being led by my Department with support from across Government and we plan to publish it in 2026.”
“Here in Ireland we are not immune to the impact of this polarised debate. The incidents in Drogheda and Citywest show the extent to which this is impacting communities. We have seen anti-immigrant protests on our streets. We have seen attacks on international protection accommodation. We have seen attacks on international protection accommodation where people knew that women and children were staying. We have seen the dire consequences of the anti-migrant rhetoric in and the shocking racist attacks on our minority communities. The Government is determined to combat such racist crime and protect vulnerable communities. The vast majority of Irish people are, I believe, positive towards migration because we know the value of migration to Ireland.”
“Along with the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, I will start by addressing the terrible arson attack that took place in Drogheda over the weekend. Our thoughts are with the families impacted by this. It was an attack on an IPAS centre but it was actually an attack on their home. It is truly awful to see something like that happen to someone's home. My thoughts are also with the victim of the alleged sexual assault in Saggart recently. I also want to commend An Garda Síochána members who so bravely defended the peace in Citywest when faced with such abhorrent behaviour. We put our trust in the justice process to deliver due process over the coming months. As we start this debate, we have seen the discourse on migration that has become increasingly fraught across the world.”
“The leader of the Social Democrats rewrote the facts when she made a long speech about why there is a motion of confidence today. She failed to acknowledge that a motion of no confidence could have been tabled at any time. The Opposition did not do so; instead, for its own political ends it cynically chose to exploit people who have a genuine issue which this House cares about and people on all sides care about. That needs to be called out. It contrasts with the daily work of the Tánaiste, who-----”
“I express my full support for the Tánaiste, who is the leader of my party, Fine Gael. He entered politics to do nothing but good, to deliver and to help those he sees around him. He is motivated for all the right reasons to be involved in politics. Unfortunately, far too many politicians on the Opposition benches today entered politics to posture, shout out and exploit situations. They have been exposed completely for what they really are: a group of people who will profess great care for and understanding of an issue, and claim to want to represent the people it affects, but at the drop of a hat use it for their own selfish political interests, as Mary Lou McDonald showed. The leader of Aontú, who is going to shout everybody down, as always, is also doing this for his own selfish political interests.”
“The Department is always vigilant about taxpayers' money and it is important to note we have achieved €52 million in savings in terms of contracts this year. There is a new rate card in place delivering real savings. One of the most important things we are doing is moving to State-owned, which will bring a real saving in terms of taxpayers' money. When the migration pact comes in, we will be moving to a shorter timeframe in terms of processing people, which will also save money. We are determined to reduce the overall number coming in and that, again, will help save taxpayers' money.”
“My officials understand that this provider has completed a self-correction exercise with the Revenue on the matter and that no funds are outstanding to the State. The Department continues to conduct ongoing process improvements in relation to management and oversight of invoices and all related tax matters.”
“The Department has accepted the recommendations of the Comptroller and Auditor General's report and has put in place a set of updated processes and standards which will appraise offers and manage and oversee contracts. Extensive new checks and balances have been put in place to ensure high standards of oversight on invoicing. Queries and irregularities have been identified through a checklist process. These have been reviewed and recoupments made to the Department. Treatment of VAT is a matter between the relevant providers and Revenue. As discussed in the report, there is variance in how different aspects of IPAS may have applied that. In relation to food accommodation and other subheadings, within payments to one provider group issues relating to VAT charges arose and were reviewed.”
“However, they have given us sufficient space to put in place greater controls over IPAS and the accommodation portfolio. A range of updated systems and procedures have been put in place and are already having an impact. IPAS has improved its processes for appraisal, validation, contracting and payments. A new rate-card pricing structure is being applied to all new and renewing contracts, which has led to savings of over €52 million on 104 contracts. This reform within the accommodation system is on track for continued process improvement and costs savings as we move into 2026.”
“All recommendations in the report have been accepted and implemented by the Department, with implementation of one recommendation being further developed into early 2026. The report looked at overall processes and sampled 20 IPAS contracts. It acknowledged the extensive challenges posed to the State in sourcing accommodation during the unprecedented surge in applications from 2022 to 2024. During that period, over 45,000 international protection applicants arrived in Ireland. Prior to this, there were 8,000 or 9,000 in a typical three-year period. Today’s standards of pre-contract assessments and negotiations could not be applied to accommodation that had to be sourced during the period from 2022 to 2024. While applications this year have decreased, they remain high compared to pre-2022 norms.”
“I thank the Deputy. My Department is taking action across all aspects of international protection accommodation to provide value for money, strengthen governance and compliance, and renegotiate contracts with providers. This forms part of the overall reform of the international protection system that is already working to speed up processing of applications and move from commercial provision to State provision. These reforms will help to drive down costs and curtail the growth seen over recent years in the accommodation system. The Department has worked closely with the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General in carrying out an extensive review of costs and processes within the international protection accommodation system. A report on this matter was published last week as part of the C and AG’s annual report for 2024.”
“It is important to examine the regulation in this area. There is quite a bit of regulation in this area. There is an allowance of 20 hours that a student can work during term time and that increases to 40 hours. It is very important that is monitored and correctly enforced. We have changed the requirements for students in terms of the income they would have to have to sustain themselves when they come into the country, so they are able to pursue their courses when they come. It is important that we have monitoring of the private providers in different areas to ensure there is compliance and that students are attending and that if they are not attending courses that it is notified. Students must remain within the conditions under which they have entered Ireland.”
“There is no point in saying anything but that the students do make a great contribution in so many ways to Ireland and that is important to recognise.”
“I thank the Deputy for his acknowledgement of the fact that international students do make a contribution. They contribute in so many ways to our country. The Government is looking at student visas in the context of our national migration and immigration strategy. For the purpose of clarity with regard to the issue of total registrations, there can be multiple registrations during a year, so the number of total registrations is not entirely indicative of the number of students but it is a reasonable guide. When looking at the broader framework, it is important that we look at students, namely the number of students coming here, the types of courses they are studying and the benefit people and academic institutions are getting from that and that we take an overall broader look which takes all aspects of this into account.”
“My Department will continue to work closely with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, and other relevant Departments in framing policy in this area and will engage with education providers, both public and private, in developing this aspect of our national migration and integration strategy.”
“I can say that this area is already undergoing revised certification arrangements. Currently, for non-EEA students to be eligible for immigration permission here they must be completing a course listed on what is known as the interim list of eligible programmes, ILEP, which is issued by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. The ILEP is being replaced by TrustEd which will be administered by Quality and Qualifications Ireland, a statutory body under the aegis of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. TrustEd is now Ireland's new statutory quality mark and is part of a range of measures designed to protect international students and ensure high standards are met in the provision of education.”
“I thank the Deputy. The programme for Government contains a commitment to publish a national migration and integration strategy detailing how the Government will meet the demands and opportunities facing Ireland’s society. My Department is currently working on that with other Departments with the aim of having it published in 2026. Looking at the international student sector will obviously form part of that work. For many years, Ireland has welcomed international students who travel here to pursue courses of study across a wide range of subject areas. This provides economic and other benefits to Ireland, as well as to the students themselves. It makes sense that our overall strategic approach to migration would take account of this aspect of our immigration arrangements.”
“We are totally transparent in publishing details of all payments made, and we do that regularly. We believe the contracts we are now putting in place are absolutely clear and deliver on some of the things the Deputy is asking about. I understand that, in the case the Deputy mentioned, the water provision issue has been completely addressed and what he described is not happening at this point. However, it is important that contractors provide their service in the correct and proper way to the State. Through the contracts we are putting in place now, we are determined to deliver in this regard.”
“These two steps combined will deliver much better value for money in the system, which is what we all want to see. In partnership with doing that, we are also looking at all those contracts as they come up, with a view to putting in place a new contract rate card that also delivers savings.”
“To outline the position again, we have accepted the recommendations in the Comptroller and Auditor General’s report. We absolutely recognise them. We have put in place contract reviews designed to deliver genuine savings. We recognise that due to the surge that took place from 2022 to 2024, we were not in a position to have the relevant structures in place, but we now are and we are actually delivering genuine savings. The most important point related to this has two aspects: first, we must ensure that, going forward, we have the contracts in place delivering savings; and second, reflecting the position we have taken and on which we are absolutely focused, we must move where possible to having State-owned services that actually deliver substantial savings rather than having commercial providers.”
“Today’s standards of pre-contract assessment and negotiation could not be applied to accommodation between 2022 and 2024, basically because of the pace at which people were arriving. While applications this year have, thankfully, reduced, they remain high compared with pre-2022 norms. This has given sufficient space to put in place greater controls over the IPAS accommodation portfolio. We have put a range of updated and strengthened systems and procedures in place and these are already beginning to have a genuine impact. IPAS has put improved processes in place for appraisal, validation, contracting and payments. A new rate-card pricing structure is being applied to all new or renewing contracts, which has resulted in savings of over €52 million across 104 contracts since May of this year.”
“This was published last week as part of the Comptroller and Auditor General’s Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2024. All recommendations in the report have been accepted and implemented by the Department, with one recommendation to be implemented in 2026. The report examined overall processes and sampled 20 IPAS contracts. It acknowledges the extensive challenges posed to the State to source accommodation during what was an unprecedented period, namely from 2022 to 2024. During this period, over 45,000 additional international protection applicants arrived in Ireland. Prior to this, a typical three-year period would have seen close to 8,000 or 9,000.”
“My Department is taking action across all aspects of international protection accommodation to ensure we improve value for money, strengthen governance and compliance, and renegotiate contracts with providers. This forms part of the overall reform of the international protection system that is already working to speed up the processing of applications and move away from commercial provision to more State-owned accommodation. This reform will help to drive down costs. The Minister and I are absolutely committed to driving down the costs in this area. My Department took over responsibility for international protection accommodation from 1 May last and has worked closely with the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General on carrying out an extensive review of costs and processes within the international protection accommodation system.”
“I very much appreciate the Senator's sentiments he expressed regarding the importance of timing. I will take every opportunity to convey that and the other comments made by him today to the Minister. I have no doubt he will also continue to engage directly with the Minister on this very important issue. I appreciate that it is vitally important to his constituents that they have this type of information and an update on timing. The Government is committed to learning the lessons of Storm Éowyn. As I said, the legislation and the accompanying resilience plan are being progressed as a matter of priority, in keeping with the programme for Government commitments to prioritise investment in our electricity grid. I will, of course, pass the Senator's comments directly to the Minister.”
“To address capacity shortages, the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment and the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment have progressed permits for skilled workers from outside the EU to advance urgent forestry work. ESB Networks is leading a working group to establish formal arrangements with European distribution system operators for mutual aid during extreme weather. An agreement is drafted with ratification targeted for October. External consultants have been appointed to carry out a review of international storm experiences. Meanwhile, ESB Networks is currently concluding a formal review of its response to Storm Éowyn.”
“Post-storm patrols of the transmission and 38 kV network have been completed, with the vast majority of priority hazards made safe. The survey of the medium-voltage network is complete, with high-priority resilience issues identified. Analysis of customers most affected by treefall has identified priority areas for remediation. Timber harvesters were procured and began to cut timber during the summer. Replenishment of ESB Networks' emergency stocks of spare parts and materials to double its previous capacity is now 80% complete. Medium-term staffing and contractor resources are to be increased through the provision of targeted training programmes via the education and training boards.”
“Consultation on specific aspects of legislation, including the dimensions of corridors and principles for engaging with landowners and compensation, will include multiple Departments and bodies and the wider forestry and landowner representative bodies through a series of workshops. Members should note that these works are not expected to result in direct costs to the Exchequer, as costs associated with improvements to grid resilience are typically covered by network tariffs set as part of periodic price reviews which are under the oversight of the Commission for Regulation of Utilities. In parallel with this legislation, in the wake of Storm Éowyn the Government directed ESB Networks to prepare a winter 2025 resilience plan. This plan was published in April and implementation continues.”
“The Bill will uphold our environmental obligations under European law, confirming the applicability of the habitats and birds directives. It will also outline screening thresholds for environmental impact assessments, in keeping with the requirements of the Planning and Development Acts. The Department is working with legal counsel from the Office of the Attorney General and officials from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to progress drafting, ensuring consistency with the forestry licensing regime established under the Forestry Act 2014. In drafting this legislation, the Department will engage with all relevant stakeholders to ensure the Bill protects the rights of landowners and is in keeping with Ireland's afforestation and environmental goals.”
“Heads of the Bill were approved by the Government for priority drafting on the 29 July. The electricity (supply)(amendment) Bill will update the Electricity (Supply) Act 1927 to provide for enhanced vegetation management powers for ESB Networks. It will provide a statutory basis for the establishment and maintenance of forestry corridors - areas within a given distance of the electricity network within which forestry vegetation and related activities can be restricted by law. The Bill will protect the rights of affected landowners by establishing a framework for compensation. It will also attach maintenance responsibilities to landowners for the upkeep of forestry corridors, with backstop powers for ESB Networks to intervene where required.”