Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA) Statement
As required under EU legislation, the Government carried out a number of environmental assessments of the draft National Planning Framework. These included a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), an Appropriate Assessment (AA) in relation to the EU Habitats Directive, and also a Strategic Flood Risk Appraisal (SFRA).
These assessments were taken into consideration in the finalisation of the Framework document and the document complies with the requirements of the Directive 2001/42/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment (the SEA Directive) as implemented in Ireland through the European Communities (Environmental Assessment of Certain Plans and Programmes) Regulations (S.I. No. 435 of 2004), as amended, and the Planning and Development (Strategic Environmental Assessment) Regulations 2004 (S.I. No. 436 of 2004), as amended.