EirGrid is a public authority for the purposes of the European Communities (Access to Information on the Environment Regulations) 2007 to 2014, (the “AIE Regulations”).
The AIE Regulations give you the right to access environmental information held by, or for EirGrid and Public Authorities. Only environmental information may be requested under the AIE Regulations. To make a request under Freedom of Information, click here. To make a request under GDPR, click here.
The AIE Regulations provide us with a definition for “environmental information”. It means any information in written, visual, aural, electronic or any other material form on;-
(a) The state of the elements of the environment, such as air and atmosphere, water, soil, land, landscape and natural sites including wetlands, coastal and marine areas, biological diversity and its components, including genetically modified organisms and the interaction among these elements;
(b) Factors, such as substances, energy, noise, radiation or waste, including radioactive waste, emissions, discharges and other releases into the environment, affecting or likely to affect the elements of the environment;
(c) Measures (including administrative measures), such as policies, legislation, plans, programmes, environmental agreements, and activities affecting or likely to affect the elements and factors referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) as well as measures or activities designed to protect those elements;
(d) Reports on the implementation of environmental legislation;
(e) Cost-benefit and other economic analyses and assumptions used within the framework of the measures and activities referred to in paragraph (c); and
(f)The state of human health and safety, including the contamination of the food chain, where relevant, conditions of human life, cultural sites and built structures in as much as they are, or may be, affected by the state of the elements of the environment referred to in paragraph (a) or, through those elements, by any of the matters referred to in paragraphs (b) and (c).
The AIE Regulations do not apply to Environmental Information that is required to be made available under any other statutory provision.
Information that does not come within the scope of the definition of Environmental Information, and which is not already publicly available, can be requested under the Freedom of Information Acts.
A request to EirGrid for environmental information should be made in electronic form by email to aie@eirgrid.com or in writing by post to:
AIE Officer, EirGrid Plc,
160 Shelbourne Road
Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.
A request for environmental information shall:
There is no initial fee required when lodging a request for information under the AIE Regulations.
Where the information is held by a public body other than EirGrid we will either refer your request directly to the appropriate body or advise you of the appropriate public body to whom the request should be directed.
Please be advised that our business hours are Monday to Friday 08:30 – 16:45 (excluding bank holidays). In the event that your request falls outside of these business hours, your request will commence on the next available business day.
EirGrid will acknowledge the request within two weeks of receiving it, and generally make a decision on the request within one month, or two months in certain cases, depending on the complexity or volume of information sought . If EirGrid does not respond within one month, the decision is deemed to have been refused and you can proceed to the review stage.
A decision on a request may be to:
Refusals: The Regulations set out mandatory and discretionary grounds for a refusal of information. These will be specified in writing if applicable.
If you are not satisfied with the decision on your request, there is a comprehensive appeals system available to challenge the decision.