ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT 1986 - SECT 29

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT 1986 - SECT 29

29 .         Public inquiry into draft policy

        (1)         After receiving and considering a copy of a draft policy, together with a report thereon, submitted under section 28 or 32(1)(b), the Minister —

            (a)         shall, if the Minister considers it expedient in the public interest to do so; or

            (b)         may, if the Authority so requests,

                by notice published in the Gazette appoint a committee of inquiry consisting of —

            (c)         Authority members; or

            (d)         Authority members and persons other than Authority members; or

            (e)         persons other than Authority members,

                to hold a public inquiry into and report to the Minister on the draft policy in accordance with terms of reference determined by the Minister.

        (2)         A committee of inquiry shall hold a public inquiry into the draft policy in respect of which it is appointed and the Royal Commissions Act 1968 applies to and in relation to that public inquiry as if references in that Act to —

            (a)         a Commission were references to; and

            (b)         the Chairman were references to the member presiding over; and

            (c)         a Commissioner were references to a member of,

                the committee of inquiry.

        (3)         A committee of inquiry shall, after holding a public inquiry into the draft policy in respect of which it was appointed, report on that draft policy to the Minister.

        (4)         The member presiding over and other members of a committee of inquiry shall each of them be paid such remuneration and travelling and other allowances as the Minister on the recommendation of the Public Sector Commissioner determines in the member’s case.

        [Section 29 amended: No. 14 of 1998 s. 37; No. 39 of 2010 s. 89; No. 40 of 2020 s. 111(1).]