Office of Public Works

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act 2014, I request access to all records held by the Office of Public Works (OPW) relating to the latest removal of established vegetation at Gay’s Avenue, Castletown House, Celbridge, Co. Kildare. This request includes records created before, during, and after the works, and includes records held in electronic, paper, email, draft, informal, or final form, whether created internally or by external consultants or contractors acting on behalf of OPW. 1. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) All records relating to environmental assessment of the works, including: a. Any Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) carried out in relation to the works; b. Any EIA Screening Report, screening determination, or written decision that an EIA was not required; c. Any records setting out the criteria, reasoning, or thresholds relied upon in determining that an EIA was or was not required; d. Any correspondence with statutory bodies relating to EIA requirements. 2. Appropriate Assessment (AA) All records relating to assessment under the EU Habitats Directive, including: a. Any Appropriate Assessment (AA) Screening Report; b. Any determination that the works would not have a significant effect on Natura 2000 sites; c. Any ecological advice, reasoning, or documentation underpinning such determinations. 3. Ecological and Biodiversity Assessments All ecological, environmental, or biodiversity-related records prepared, commissioned, or obtained prior to the works, including but not limited to: a. Ecological walkover surveys; b. Habitat assessments or habitat classifications; c. Biodiversity impact assessments; d. Assessments of impacts on biodiversity corridors or urban green infrastructure; e. Breeding bird surveys or nesting risk assessments; f. Pollinator assessments or surveys. 4. Protected Species – Bats All records relating to the presence, assessment, protection, or potential disturbance of bat species in the vegetation removed at Gay’s Avenue, including: a. Any bat surveys, preliminary roost assessments, emergence or re-entry surveys, or specialist bat reports; b. Any records acknowledging or recording evidence of bat presence at the site; c. Any specialist ecological advice obtained in relation to bats, including advice on legal obligations, avoidance, or mitigation; d. Any derogation licence application, licence issued, or correspondence with the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) relating to bats or protected species; e. Any method statements, timing restrictions, exclusion zones, or mitigation measures specifically intended to avoid harm to bats or bat roosts; f. Any records created after the works addressing potential non-compliance, incident reporting, or ecological damage relating to bats. 5. Biodiversity Officer – Advice and Involvement All records authored by, attributed to, or involving Lorcan Scott (Biodiversity Officer, Castletown House) relating to Gay’s Avenue, including: