consultation procedures have been strengthened the epa the doehlg and the department of communications energy and natural resources docenr are the statutory environmental authorities that need to be consulted during assessment however as in many countries there is little evidence concerning the influence of sea on decisionmaking or on environmental quality and overall sustainability of plans scott in line with the directive irish sea focuses on environmental sustainability rather than on sustainable development and is not integrated in a wider sustainability appraisal as in the united kingdom it should assess all impacts of a proposal including environmental and unintentional ones and allow for stakeholder consultation some rias were produced between june and february and more than officials underwent training to do ria leading to a significant increase in quality