74.—(1) In this section, “environmental audit” means in relation to any process, development or operation, a systematic, documented and objective periodic assessment of the organisational structure, management systems, processes and equipment pertaining to, or incidental to, that process, development or operation, for the purposes of environmental protection and, in particular for the purposes of—

(a) facilitating management control of practices which may have an impact on environmental protection,

(b) assessing compliance with enactments related to environmental protection and with such environmental conditions as may be attached to any licence or permit granted or issued in connection with the aforesaid process, development or operation, and

(c) minimising the impact of the process, development or operation on the environment.

(2) (a) The Agency may promote the carrying out of environmental audits.

(b) The Agency may, and shall at the request of the Minister, prepare and publish guidelines on the carrying out of environmental audits, and such guidelines may relate to all processes, developments or operations or to any particular class of process, development or operation or to processes, developments or operations in particular areas or classes of areas.

(3) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (2), guidelines may relate to—

(a) the aims of an environmental audit,

(b) the expertise to be included in an environmental audit team,

(c) the criteria to be considered and procedures to be followed in carrying out an environmental audit.

(4) For the purposes of promoting the carrying out of environmental audits, the Agency may, in relation to any process, development or operation or classes of processes, developments or operations—

(a) provide such assistance and support, on such terms and conditions as may be agreed with any person or body, for the purposes of developing and carrying out environmental audits or pilot or demonstration projects, and

(b) organise and promote, or assist in organising and promoting, conferences, seminars, lectures, demonstrations, training courses or publications.