Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of 23rd April, 2019.

I, Richard Bruton, Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, 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 further effect to Directive 2011/92/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011¹ on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment, as amended by Directive 2014/52/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014² amending Directive 2011/92/EU on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment hereby make the following regulations:

1. These Regulations may be cited as the European Union (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Minerals Development Act 1940) (Amendment) Regulations 2019.

2. Section 8A (inserted by Regulation 2 of the European Union (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Minerals Development Act 1940) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 (S.I. No. 384 of 2018)) of the Minerals Development Act 1940 is amended by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (3):

“(3) A holder of a prospecting licence under section 8 who, in compliance with that licence, applies to the Minister for consent to undertake deep drillings listed as a project in paragraph 2(d) of Annex II of the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive (“proposed activity”) shall, subject to subsection (4), also apply to the Minister for a screening determination for environmental impact assessment.”.

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

16 April 2019.

RICHARD BRUTON

Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment.

1 OJ L 26, 28.1.2012, p.1

2 OJ L124.25.4.2014,p.1