European Union (Planning and Development) (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2018 (S.I. No. 296/2018).

These Regulations extensively amend the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 in order to transpose into Irish law the provisions of Directive 2014/52/EU amending Directive 2011/92/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment. In the Act of 2000 the definition of ‘environmental impact assessment’ is amended. Amendments generally concern requests, applications, appeals to planning authorities and to An Bord Pleanála in relation with proposed projects in various fields, including water. A planning authority or the Board, as the case may be, shall, in respect of a development or proposed development specified in Part 2 of Schedule 5 to the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, specify in its declaration or decision, as the case may be, whether the development or proposed development identified in section 5 of Act of 2000 would be likely to have significant effects on the environment by virtue, at the least, of the nature, size or location of such development and require an environmental impact assessment. One of the criteria (listed in Schedule 7 of the Regulations) is the impact on areas classified or protected under legislation, including Natura 2000 areas designated pursuant to the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive (location of proposed development).