56.—(1) The Agency may, and shall when requested by the Minister, give information or advice or make recommendations for the purposes of environmental protection, to a local authority or to local authorities generally in relation to the performance of any of its or their functions and the authority or authorities shall have regard to any such information or advice given or recommendations made.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), information, advice or recommendations under this section may relate to—

(a) the provision of laboratory facilities and equipment, and related services,

(b) the preparation of legal proceedings in respect of any contravention of an enactment relating to environmental protection,

(c) the standards, conditions or criteria to be applied, or the guidelines, codes of practice or procedures to be followed, for the purposes of environmental protection in relation to any development, process or practice either generally or of a particular class,

(d) the management of coastal areas for the purposes of environmental protection,

(e) the monitoring of emissions and environmental quality,

(f) methods of sampling, measuring and analysis, and the equipment to be used for such sampling, measurement and analysis.

(3) The Agency may organise and promote, or assist in organising and promoting, conferences, seminars, lectures, demonstrations, training courses or publications for staff of local authorities involved in environmental protection or for members of local authorities.

(4) In this section “local authority” has the meaning assigned to it by the Local Government Act, 1941.