European Communities (Access to Information on the Environment) Regulations 2007

S.I. No. 133 of 2007

EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES (ACCESS TO INFORMATION ON THE ENVIRONMENT) REGULATIONS 2007

REVISED

Updated to 1 November 2022

This Revised Statutory Instrument is an administrative consolidation of the European Communities (Access to Information on the Environment) Regulations 2007. It is prepared by the Law Reform Commission in accordance with its function under the Law Reform Commission Act 1975 (3/1975) to keep the law under review and to undertake revision and consolidation of statute law.

All Acts up to and including Bretton Woods Agreements (Amendment) Act 2022 (36/2022), enacted 1 November 2022, and all statutory instruments up to and including Planning and Development, Maritime and Valuation (Amendment) Act 2022 (Commencement of Certain Provisions) (No. 4) Order 2022 (S.I. No. 550 of 2022), made 2 November 2022, were considered in the preparation of this Revised Statutory Instrument.

Disclaimer: While every care has been taken in the preparation of this Revised Act, the Law Reform Commission can assume no responsibility for and give no guarantees, undertakings or warranties concerning the accuracy, completeness or up to date nature of the information provided and does not accept any liability whatsoever arising from any errors or omissions. Please notify any errors, omissions and comments by email to

revisedacts@lawreform.ie.


S.I. No. 133 of 2007


EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES (ACCESS TO INFORMATION ON THE ENVIRONMENT) REGULATIONS 2007

REVISED

Updated to 1 November 2022


ARRANGEMENT OF REGULATIONS

1.

Citation and commencement.

2.

Transitional provision and revocation.

3.

Interpretation.

4.

Scope.

5.

General duties of public authority.

6.

Request for environmental information.

7.

Action on request.

8.

Grounds that, subject to article 10, mandate a refusal.

9.

Discretionary grounds for refusal of information.

10.

Incidental provisions relating to refusal of information.

11.

Internal review of refusal.

12.

Appeal to Commissioner for Environmental Information.

13.

Appeal to High Court on point of law.

14.

Guidelines.

15.

Fees.

SCHEDULE

Directive 2003/4/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2003 on public access to environmental information and repealing Council Directive 90/313/EEC


S.I. No. 133 of 2007


EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES (ACCESS TO INFORMATION ON THE ENVIRONMENT) REGULATIONS 2007

REVISED

Updated to 1 November 2022


Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in “Iris Oifigiúil” of 3rd April, 2007.

I, DICK ROCHE, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 3 of the European Communities Act 1972 (No. 27 of 1972) and for the purpose of giving effect to Directive 2003/4/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 20031, hereby make the following regulations:

Annotations

Modifications (not altering text):

C1

References to “Minister” construed (24.09.2020) as references to the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications by Communications, Climate Action and Environment (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2020 (S.I. No. 373 of 2020), art. 4(b), in effect as per art. 1(2).

4. In any enactment or any instrument made under an enactment—

(a) …

(b) references to the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment shall be construed as references to the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications.

C2

Functions originally vested in the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government by or under this instrument transferred (22.07.2016) to the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, and references to “Minister” construed as references to the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, by Climate Action and Environment (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2016 (S.I. No. 393 of 2016), arts. 2, 3 and sch. 2, subject to transitional provisions in arts. 4 to 8, in effect as per art. 1(2). Intervening title of Minister dealt with in E-Notes below.

2. (1) The administration and business in connection with the performance of any functions transferred by this Order are transferred to the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.

(2) References to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government contained in any Act or any instrument made under an Act and relating to the administration and business transferred by paragraph (1) shall, from the commencement of this Order, be construed as references to the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.

3. (1) The functions conferred on the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government by or under any of the provisions of—

(a) …

(b) the statutory instruments specified in Schedule 2,

are transferred to the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.

(2) References to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government contained in any Act or instrument made under an Act and relating to any functions transferred by this Order shall, from the commencement of this Order, be construed as references to the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.

...

Schedule 2

Article 3(1)(b)

Regulations, functions under which are transferred from the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

to the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

...

European Communities (Access to Information on the Environment) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 133 of 2007)

...

Editorial Notes:

E1

Previous affecting provision: title of the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources altered (23.07.2016) to that of the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment by Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2016 (S.I. No. 421 of 2016), art. 4(b), in effect as per art. 1(2): superseded (24.09.2020) as per C-Note above.

E2

Previous affecting provision: title of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government altered (2.05.2011) to that of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government by Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 193 of 2011), art. 4(b), in effect as per art. 1(2): superseded (23.07.2016) as per E-Note above.