Acronym & Phrase Library

Appropriate Assessment

The assessment that is required by the Birds and Habitats Directives to determine the potential effect of a project or plan on a Special Protected Area or Special Area of Conservation with respect to their qualifying interests.

An Bórd Pleanála

An Bord Pleanála is Ireland’s national independent planning body that decides appeals on planning decisions made by local authorities as well as direct applications.

Access to Information on the Environment

The European Communities (Access to Information on the Environment) Regulations 2007 to 2014 (S.I. No. 133 of 2007, S.I. No. 662 of 2011, S.I. 615 of 2014 and S.I. 309 of 2018) (hereafter referred to as the AIE Regulations), give legal rights to those seeking to access information on the environment from public authorities.
Under these regulations, information relating to the environment held by, or for, a public authority must be made available on request, subject to certain exceptions. The AIE regulations also oblige public authorities to be proactive in disseminating environmental information to the public.

Aquaculture

Aquaculture is breeding, raising, and harvesting fish, shellfish, and aquatic plants. Basically, it’s farming in water.

Assessment, Research and Data

 

Best Environmental Practice

The most appropriate combination of environmental control measures and strategies.

Competent Authority

A competent authority is any person or organization that has the legally delegated or invested authority, capacity, or power to perform a designated function.

Community Benefit Fund

 

Carbon Capture and Storage  

CCS involves capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) at emission sources, transporting and then storing or burying it in a suitable deep, underground location. CCS can also mean the removal of CO2 directly or indirectly from the atmosphere.

Compliance, Enforcement & Revenue Collection

 

Commissioner of Irish Lights

The Commissioners of Irish Lights, often shortened to Irish Lights or CIL, is the body that serves as the general lighthouse authority for Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and their adjacent seas and islands.

Costal & Marine Research Centre

 

Compressed Natural Gas   

 

Costal Planning Authority

 

Continental shelf

Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) the continental shelf is that part of the seabed over which a coastal State exercises sovereign rights with regard to the exploration and exploitation of natural resources including petroleum deposits as well as other minerals and biological resources of the seabed. The legal continental shelf (consisting of the shelf, the slope and the rise) extends out to a distance of 200 nautical miles from the coastline, or further if the shelf naturally extends beyond that limit (as it does in Ireland’s case).

Dumping at Sea

 

Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation

 

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

 

Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications

 

Department of Education and Skills 

 

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

 

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

 

Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

 

Department of Finance   

 

Director General    

 

Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

 

Designated Maritime Area Plan

 

Domestic Net Zero

 

Department of Defence

 

Department of Health   

 

Department of the Taoiseach  

 

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

 

Data Protection Officer

 

Department of Rural and Community Development

 

Dredging

The removal of material from the sea bed, for a variety of purposes, including the clearing of channels for navigation, or the extraction of minerals.

Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media

 

European Commission

The European Commission is the primary executive arm of the European Union. It operates as a cabinet government, with 27 members of the Commission headed by a President. It includes an administrative body of about 32,000 European civil servants.

Export Cable Corridor

 

Ecological Impact Assessment

 

Ecosystem

A biological community of interacting organisms (plants, animals and microbes) and their physical environment (OSPAR definition).

Ecosystem approach

The comprehensive integrated management of human activities based on the best available scientific knowledge about the ecosystem and its dynamics, in order to identify and take action on influences, which are critical to the health of marine ecosystems, thereby achieving sustainable use of ecosystem goods and services and maintenance of ecosystem integrity (OSPAR definition)

Ecosystem functioning

How plants, animals, microorganisms and the non-living environment that make up the ecosystem work together

Ecosystem services

Processes by which the environment produces resources utilised by humans, such as clean air, water, food and materials

Exclusive Economic Zone

An “exclusive economic zone,” or “EEZ” is an area of the ocean, generally extending 200 nautical miles (230 miles) beyond a nation’s territorial sea, within which a coastal nation has jurisdiction over both living and nonliving resources.

Enterprise Ireland    

Enterprise Ireland is an Irish state economic development agency focused on helping Irish-owned business deliver new export sales. The aim of Enterprise Ireland is to help Irish enterprises to “start, grow, innovate and win export sales in global markets.

Environmental Impact Assessment

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is the process of examining the anticipated environmental effects of a proposed project – from consideration of environmental effects at design stage, through consultation and preparation of an Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR), evaluation of the EIAR by a competent authority and the subsequent decision as to whether the project should be permitted to proceed.

Environmental Impact Assessment Report

 

Eco-Management and Audit Scheme  

 

European Marine Energy Centre

The European Marine Energy Centre Ltd. is a UKAS accredited test and research centre focused on wave and tidal power development, based in the Orkney Islands, UK. The centre provides developers with the opportunity to test full-scale grid-connected prototype devices in wave and tidal conditions.

Environmental Protection Agency   

 

Electricity Supply Board   

 

Electricity Supply Board Networks  

 

European Union

 

EU Birds Directive

EU Directive 79/409/ EEC on the Conservation of Wild Birds, as amended.

EU Habitats Directive

EU Directive 92/43/ EEC on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Flora and Fauna, as amended

EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD)

EU Directive 2008/56/ EC on establishing a framework for community action in the field of marine environmental policy, known as the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.

Foreshore Investigation Licence

 

Floating Light Detecting and Ranging

 

Floating LiDAR System

 

Freedom of Information

 

Foreshore

Foreshore is the land and seabed between the high water of ordinary or medium tides (shown HWM on Ordnance Survey Maps) and the twelve-mile limit (twelve nautical miles is approximately 22.24 kilometres).

General Data Protection Regulations

The General Data Protection Regulation is a European Union regulation on information privacy in the European Union and the European Economic Area. The GDPR is an important component of EU privacy law and human rights law, in particular Article 8 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

Geographical Information System

 

Geological Survey Ireland   

 

Harmful algal blooms:

Concentrations of phytoplankton producing toxins which can affect human health, oxygen levels in water and which can kill or harm fish and other vertebrate and invertebrates

High Seas

The seas that are not controlled by any country

Irish Maritime Development Office  

The Irish Maritime Development Office provides the Irish & international shipping industry with quarterly updates on market news, developments, performance & conditions.

Irish Marine Industry Network  

The Marine Ireland Industry Network (MIIN) is made up of a diverse array of companies, state organisations, research groups and higher education institutes, working in Ireland’s blue economy. The Network was established in 2016 with the aim of bringing together the many elements of Marine Ireland.

International Maritime Organisation.

The International Maritime Organization – is the United Nations specialized agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine and atmospheric pollution by ships. IMO’s work supports the UN SDGs.​

Integrated Mapping for the Sustainable Development of Ireland’s Marine Resource

 

Integrated Coastal Zone Management

Brings together all those involved in the development, management and use of the coast within a framework that facilitates the integration of their interests and responsibilities. National Marine Planning Framework | Project Ireland 2040

Judicial Review

 

Maritime Area Consent

 

Maritime Area Planning Act 2021

 

Maritime Area Planning (MAP) Act 2021

 

Maritime Area Regulatory Authority

 

The Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine, Environmental Research Centre, University College Cork

MaREI is the SFI Research Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine research and innovation co-ordinated by the Environmental Research Institute (ERI) at University College Cork. The Centre comprises over 220 researchers focusing on defined global challenges such as the Energy Transition, Climate Action and the Blue Economy.

The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships

 

Mean High-Water Spring

 

Marine Institute

 

Mitigation

Measures designed to avoid, reduce, remedy or offset impacts. These measures can mitigate impacts:
• by Prevention -When a potential impact is prevented by a measure to avoid the possibility of the impact occurring.
• by Reduction -When an impact is lessened.
• by Remedy- When an impact is resolved by a remedial action.
• by Offsetting- When an adverse impact is balanced by a positive impact

Marine Protected Area

 

Marine Planning and Development Management Bill (note that this has been superseded by the Maritime Area Planning Bill

 

Marine Strategy Framework Directive

The EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) was put in place to protect the marine ecosystem and biodiversity upon which our health and marine-related economic and social activities depend.

Mean Sea Level

Mean sea level is an average surface level of one or more among Earth’s coastal bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured.

Marine Survey Office   

 

Marine Spatial Planning

A process that brings together multiple users of the ocean to make informed and coordinated decisions about how to use marine resources sustainably. It is a process by which the relevant public authorities analyse and organise human activities in marine areas to achieve ecological, economic and social objectives.

Marine Spatial Planning Directive

 

Maritime Usage License

 

Maritime Usage Licence Application

 

National Development Plan

 

National Energy and Climate Plan

 

National Economic and Social Council

 

Non-Governmental Organisations

 

Natura Impact Statement

 

National Maritime College of Ireland

 

National Marine Planning Framework

 

National Parks and Wildlife Service 

 

Navigation Risk Assessment

 

Naval Service

National Standards Authority of Ireland 

 

National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture

 

Oireachtas Climate Action Committee

 

Office of Public Works

 

Offshore Renewable Energy

 

Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan

 

Offshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme

 

Ordinance Survey Ireland

 

OSPAR Commission

The Commission, which manages work under the OSPAR Convention (Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North East Atlantic).  OSPAR is the mechanism by which 15 Governments & the EU cooperate to protect the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic. 
OSPAR started in 1972 with the Oslo Convention against dumping and was broadened to cover land-based sources of marine pollution and the offshore industry by the Paris Convention of 1974. These two conventions were unified, up-dated and extended by the 1992 OSPAR Convention. The new annex on biodiversity and ecosystems was adopted in 1998 to cover non-polluting human activities that can adversely affect the sea.

The fifteen Governments are Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

OSPAR is so named because of the original Oslo and Paris Conventions (“OS” for Oslo and “PAR” for Paris).

Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce

The Taskforce is chaired by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, and its membership comprises senior officials from Government Departments and agencies with offshore wind related actions under the Climate Action Plan.

Offshore Wind Energy

 

Offshore Wind Farm

 

Planning & Development Act 2000, as amended

 

Planning & Development Regulations 2001, as amended

 

Project Ireland 2040

Project Ireland 2040 is the government’s long-term overarching strategy to make Ireland a better country for all and to build a more resilient and sustainable future.

Risk Avoidance Method Statements

 

Research, Development & Innovation

 

Rural Development Programme

 

Renewable Energy Source

 

Special Areas of Conservation

Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) under the EC Directive 92/43/ EEC on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Flora and Fauna

South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan

 

Sustainable Development Goals

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations members in 2015, created 17 world Sustainable Development Goals.

Strategic Environmental Assessment   

Strategic Environmental Assessment is the process by which environmental considerations are required to be fully integrated into the preparation of plans and programmes prior to their final adoption. The objectives of SEA are to provide for a high level of protection of the environment and to promote sustainable development.

Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland

 

Socio-Economic Marine Research Unit

Within the Whitaker Institute for Innovation and Societal Change of NUI Galway

Science Foundation Ireland   

 

Sea Fisheries Protection Authority

 

Statutory Instrument

An order, regulation, rule, scheme or bye-law made in exercise of a power conferred by statute.

Significant adverse impacts

The identified impacts and their significance in each situation will typically differ dependent on the specifics of individual proposals. However, some general considerations on what might constitute significant adverse impacts will apply. In an overarching policy context, significant adverse impacts may include economic or social impacts on coastal communities, impacts that threaten the achievement of Irish Government targets, impacts that threaten the protection of designated sites, landscapes or historic assets, or impacts that threaten ecosystem resilience, or the achievement of Good Environmental Status (GES). In a key sectoral / activities policy context, significant adverse impacts may include impacts on the integrity and scope or economic viability of an existing or consented activity or potential future activity, including its capacity to provide wider social benefits.

Supporting Information for Screening for Appropriate Assessment

 

Sectoral Marine Plan

 

Sectoral Marine Planning Policy

 

Statutory nature conservation body

 

Special Protected Area

 

Special Protection Areas under EC Directive 79/409/ EEC on the Conservation of Birds.

 

Sound Pressure Level

 

Suspended Sediment Concentration

 

Side Scan Sonar

Side-scan sonar is the system that provides high-resolution seafloor morphology from both sides of the vessel track.

Site of Special Scientific Interest

 

Single Use Plastics

 

Transport Infrastructure Ireland   

 

Underwater Archaeological Impact Assessment

 

Underwater Archaeology Unit

 

Ultra-High resolution seismic

 

United Nations

 

United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea was adopted in 1982. It lays down a comprehensive regime of law and order in the world’s oceans and seas establishing rules governing all uses of the oceans and their resources.

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

 

Ultra-Short Baseline

 

Unexploded Ordnance

 

Water Framework Directive

Directive 2000/60/ EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy

Waste Water Discharge