Appendix 4: Glossary and Acronyms
Closed28 Feb, 2022, 9:00am - 13 Apr, 2022, 11:59pm
Glossary |
| Affordable Housing - Owner-occupied or shared ownership housing provided at a price below the market value. |
| Bathing Water Directive - Bathing Water Quality Directive/Regulations. Criteria for assessing water quality in accordance with EU Standards, indicating that water is of a standard for the purposes of bathing. |
| Barcelona Declaration - In March 1995, the European Congress “The City and the Disabled” was held in Barcelona, Spain. Following this congress a manifesto on accessibility, known as the Barcelona Declaration which many cities and their associated local authorities in Europe have ratified. The aims of the Declaration include the promotion of universal access to urban spaces, buildings and services, and improvement of mobility of disabled persons. Galway City Council formally signed the declaration in 2002. |
| Biodiversity – A measure of the diversity of species of plants and animals. |
| Blue Flag - The Blue Flag scheme is operated by the Foundation of Environmental Education (FEE), a nonGovernment organisation. The criteria for the award of Blue Flag relate to water quality, facilities for visitors, beach management (including litter control) and information display. At EU member state level the FEE operates through national bodies for example An Taisce, which are responsible for the administration of the Blue Flag scheme in Ireland. |
| Blueways - Blueways are a new tourism and outdoor recreation offering on the island of Ireland that aim to celebrate and promote our scenic inland waterways, lakes, rivers and coastal areas around the island of Ireland. Blueways also aim to encourage more people to experience and enjoy outdoor activities in water locations. |
| Brownfield Sites - Disused land or buildings available for re-use/redevelopment. |
| Bus Connects – is the National Transport Authority’s programme to improve bus services in Irish cities, a key part of the Governments policy to improve public transport and address climate change. |
| Bulky Retail Goods - Goods generally sold from retail warehouses where DIY goods or goods such as flatpack furniture area of such a size that they would normally be taken away by car and not manageable by customers travelling by foot, cycle or bus or that large floor areas would be required to display them, e.g. furniture in room sets, or not large individually, but part of a collective purchase which would be bulky e.g. wallpaper, paint. |
| Child Friendly City - Following the 1996 Istanbul City Summit, UNICEF launched the Child Friendly Cities Initiative to reach urban children, particularly the poor and marginalised with basic services and protection to guarantee their fundamental rights. Many cities world-wide are working to become more child-friendly and a number of local networks have been created like the European Network of Child Friendly. The network was established under the Wurzburg Declaration June 1999. There is no single definition of what a child friendly city is or ought to be. In developing nations the focus is more frequently found on increasing access to basic services while in developed countries the emphasis seems to be on environmental and physical issues such as improving recreational areas, developing parks and green spaces, controlling traffic in order to make streets safer for children. |
| Citizen/Citizenship - An inhabitant and resident of Galway City. |
| Circular Economy - The circular economy is a model of production and consumption, which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible. In this way, the life cycle of products is extended. |
| Convenience Retail Goods - Food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, tobacco and non-durable household goods. |
| Comparison Retail Goods - Clothing, footwear, furniture, furnishings and household equipment, (excluding non-durable households goods), medical and pharmaceutical products, therapeutic appliances and equipment, education and recreational equipment and accessories, books newspapers and magazines and goods for personal care and goods not elsewhere classified |
| Decarbonisation Zone - A Decarbonising Zone is defined as a spatial area in which a range of climate mitigation, adaptation and biodiversity measures and action owners are identified to address local low carbon energy, greenhouse gas emissions and climate needs to contribute to national climate action targets. |
| db(A) Lden - Decibel A-weighted Day-evening-night equivalent level, Leq. (equivalent sound level) noise level, measured over the 24 hour period, with a 10 dB penalty added to the levels between 23.00 and 07.00 hours and a 5 dB penalty added to the levels between 19.00 and 23.00 hours to reflect people's extra sensitivity to noise during the night and the evening. |
| dB(A) Lnight - Night equivalent level: Leq. A-weighted, Sound Level, measured overnight 23.00 – 0700 hours. Also known as the Night Noise Indicator. |
| Development Contributions Scheme - Scheme which allows a Planning Authority to levy financial contributions for the provision of public infrastructure, facilities, project or service as a condition of planning. |
| Ecological sites - Sites of wildlife value. |
| Environmental Report - The report is required by the SEA Directive as part of an environmental assessment, which identifies, describes and evaluates the likely significant effects on the environment of implementing a plan or programme. |
| EU Water Framework Directive - Directive 2000/60/EC, the EU Water Framework Directive is environmental legislation aimed at improving water quality in rivers, lakes, groundwater, estuaries and coastal waters. The Directive requires achieving ‘good’ status to all waters, maintaining existing ‘high’ status waters and preventing any deterioration of waters, by 2021. |
| EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive - The aim of Directive 91/271/EEC (as amended 98/15/EEC) is to protect the environment from the adverse effects of discharges of urban wastewater, by the provision of urban wastewater collecting systems (sewerage) and treatment plants for urban centres. The Directive also provides general rules for the sustainable disposal of sludge arising from wastewater treatment. |
| Regional City – The National Planning Framework (NPF) identifies the the four cities of Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford as a Regional Cities. It targets each to grow by at least 50% to 2040 and to support balanced regional development. |
| Green Network - A linked network of green areas, parks, and open spaces ensuring a strategic integrated policy approach to the sustainable use and management of these areas. |
| Greenways - Greenway is an EU term established in a Declaration towards a European Greenway Network, Lille, 12th Sept 2000 for “circulation routes reserved exclusively for non-motorised journeys, developed in an integrated manner, which enhances both the environment and quality of life of the surrounding area.” |
| Geodiversity - Geodiversity (and Geological Heritage) refers to the variety of rocks, minerals, natural processes, landforms, fossils and soils that underlie and determine the character of our landscape and environment. Geology is the science that comprises the study of the Earth, the rocks of which it is composed and the processes by which it evolves. It is, in effect, the story of our planet and every rock holds clues to understanding its evolution. |
| GVA - Gross value added is an economic productivity metric that measures the contribution of a corporate subsidiary, company, or municipality to an economy. |
| Habitats Directive Assessment (Appropriate Assessment) - Article 6 of the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) - An ecological assessment of the likely impact of any plan, programme, or project on the conservation objectives of European sites, (Special Protection Areas and candidate Special Areas of Conservation). |
| Homezones – Homezones are residential streets in which the road space is shared between drivers of vehicles and other road users, with the wider needs of residents, (including people who walk and cycle and children), in mind. The aim is to change the way streets are used and to improve the quality of life in residential streets by making them places for people, not just for traffic. |
| Indicator - A measure of variables over time, often used to measure achievement of objectives. |
| IPCC - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change |
| Labour Force - The labour force is comprises of persons who are actually engaged or desirous of engaging themselves in the production of economic goods and services. Therefore, the labour force includes those who are currently employed as well as unemployed people who are seeking employment. |
| Local Agenda 21 - The UN Conference on Environment and Development took place in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. This has become known as the Earth Summit. The summit produced a blueprint for sustainability policies towards the 21st century, known as Agenda 21. Agenda 21 indicates how countries can work towards sustainable development. The Irish Government endorsed Agenda 21 at the summit. |
| 15 Minute City Concept - concept where all where residents have easy access to their essential needs at distances of no more than 15 minutes by walking, cycling or public transport. |
| Mitigation - Measures used to avoid, reduce or offset significant adverse effects on the environment. |
| Natura 2000 (European Sites) - The EU-wide network of protected areas, recognised as ‘sites of Community importance’ under the EC Habitats Directive (Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora). They comprise “Special Areas of Conservation” SACs) under the Habitats Directive and “Special Protection Areas” (SPAs) under the Birds Directive (Council Directive 79/409/EC on the conservation of wild birds). |
| Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are defined by IUCN as “actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits. |
| Natural Heritage - The Heritage Act (1995) defines natural heritage as including flora, fauna, wildlife habitats, landscapes, seascapes, wrecks, geology, inland waterways, heritage gardens and parks. |
| Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs) - These designated areas form a network of sites of national importance by reason of their flora, fauna, habitat type and/or geomorphologic interest and are protected under the Wildlife Act 2000. |
| Plot Ratio - The plot ratio for a development is the gross floor area of buildings on a site divided by the gross site area. The gross floor area is the sum of all floor space within the external walls of the building(s), excluding plant, tank rooms, basement storage areas (where floor to ceiling height is less than 2.1 m) and parking areas. In the case of a group of buildings with a common curtilage the floor area will be aggregated. The gross site area includes only such land as lies within the curtilage of the related buildings and in particular does not include adjoining public road area. Plot ratios are written as the ratio of gross floor area to the gross site area, for example, 2:1. |
| Polluter Pays Principle - Polluter Pays Principle means that the polluter should bear the expenses of carrying out the measures required to ensure that the environment is in an acceptable state. This environmental liability aims both to prevent and restore environmental damage. On the side of prevention, the principle highlights that if a situation is caused that could lead to environmental damage, preventive measures should be taken to avoid that. When environmental damage nevertheless occurs, it is required by the principle that environmental damage is restored. |
| Precautionary Principle - The precautionary principle is an approach where there is a presumption against any action whose environmental impact is uncertain and there is a strong bias towards avoiding potential environmental risks. |
| Proximity Principle - The proximity principle is the concept that waste should generally be managed as near as possible to its place of production, because transporting waste itself has an environmental impact. |
| Ramsar Site - These are wetlands of international importance listed in the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971, an intergovernmental treaty which provides the framework for national action and international co-operation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. Ireland ratified the convention in 1984 and it obliges the State to recognise and conserve any internationally important wetlands. The convention notes the presence of rare, vulnerable, endemic or endangered plants or animals as a factor in determining international importance. The inner Galway Bay Complex and Lough Corrib SACs are both designated Ramsar sites. |
| Rightsizing generally means moving home in later life into housing that is more suitable. It was more usually known as ‘downsizing’. It can also mean adapting your home to make it more age-appropriate, or considering other housing options. |
| Salmonid River - The River Corrib is designated a Salmonid River under the EU Freshwater Fish Directive introduced in 1978 European Communities (Quality of Salmonid Waters) Regulations, 1988, S.I. no 84 of 1988. This designation aims to protect and improve the quality of fresh waters that support certain species of fish regulation. Specific water quality standards must be maintained and pollution controlled. Ireland is legally required to maintain and improve the water quality of rivers for Salmonid fisheries. |
| Scoping - The process of deciding the scope and level of detail of an SEA, including the environmental effects and alternatives which need to be considered, the assessment methods to be used, and the structure and contents of the Environmental Report. Scoping is carried out in consultation with the appropriate bodies. |
| Screening - The process of deciding whether a plan or programme requires SEA or AA. |
| SEVESO III Sites - Sites involved in the storage and/or production of dangerous substances that present a major accident hazard, subject to the Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) Directive or Seveso III Directive 2012/18/EU, which seeks to reduce the risk and limit the consequences of accidents. |
| Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) - The assessment of flood risk on a wide geographical area against which to assess development proposed in an area. |
| Significant Environmental Effect - Significance is a function of impact magnitude and the importance/sensitivity of the resources of the receptor. Effects on the environment which are significant in the context of a plan or programme. Criteria for assessing significance are set out in Annex II of the SEA Directive. |
| Site Coverage - Site Coverage is determined by dividing the total area of ground covered by buildings by the total site area excluding the public road. |
| Social Housing - Rented housing provided either by the Council or a voluntary or co-operative housing body. |
| Social Inclusion - Social Inclusion is defined as the process through which people are empowered to participate fully in life from an economic, social, cultural or political perspective. |
| Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) - The Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) was transposed into Irish law by S.I. 94 of 1997, the European Communities (Natural Habitats) Regulations 1997. SACs are marine and terrestrial areas of internationally importance that have been designated for the protection of wildlife habitats and species (other than birds), which form part of EU Natura 2000 network of ecologically significant sites throughout Europe. Special protection measures should be applied regarding these habitats of specified wildlife species, in order to ensure the survival and reproduction in their distribution area. Two SACs designated areas exist in the city, the Galway Bay Complex and Lough Corrib Complex. |
| Special Protection Areas for Protection of Birds (SPAs) - Ireland is required under the terms of the EU Birds Directive (2009/147/EC) to designate Special Protection Areas (SPAs) for the protection of endangered species of wild birds. SPAs are sites designated to protect international important and rare bird species and their associated habitats. Two SPA designated areas exist in the city, the Inner Galway Bay SPA and Lough Corrib SPA. The designated protection area provides for a wide range of seabirds and waterfowl and their associated breeding colonies and habitats including Annex 1 bird species. Annex 1 is a catalogue of species and subspecies that, in the European Union, are threatened with extinction, or vulnerable in certain changes of their habitats, or scarce due to small populations or restricted regional distribution, or demand special caution due to the special nature of their habitats. |
| Strategic Environmental Assessment - The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Directive (2001/42/EC) requires that an environmental assessment is carried out on certain plans and programmes which are likely to have significant effects on the environment. A SEA is a systematic process of predicting and evaluating the likely environmental effects of implementing a proposed plan/programme in order to ensure that these effects are appropriately addressed at the earliest appropriate stage of decision-making. Strategic Environmental Objectives (SEO’s) - Methodological measure against which the environmental effects of the plan/programme can be tested. SEO's are distinct from the plan objectives although will often overlap. SEO's are developed from, national, international and regional policy. |
| Sustainable Development - Sustainable Development is usually defined as ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs without undermining the integrity and conservation objectives of European Sites and NHAs. It contains within it two key concepts: the concept of needs, in particular the essential needs of the world’s poor, to which overriding priority should be given; and the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environment’s ability to meet present and future needs.’ (Taken from Our Common Future, UN World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987, also known as the Brundtland Report). |
| Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) - Approaches to manage surface water that takes into account of water quality flooding water quality (pollution) biodiversity (wildlife and plants) and amenity. |
| TDM – Transport Demand Management |
| TPO - Tree Preservation Order is used to protect selected trees and woodlands, if their removal would have a significant impact on the environment or amenity. Section 205 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (amended), states that; ‘if it appears to the planning authority that it is expedient, in the interests of amenity or the environment, to make provision for the protection of any tree, trees, groups of trees or woodlands, it may for that purpose and for stated reasons, make an order with respect to any such tree, trees, group of trees or woodlands as may be specified in the order.’ Trees, which are the subject of a TPO, cannot be felled, unless the owner applies for planning permission to the local authority. |
| Waste Hierarchy - The waste management model, espoused by the E.U. and nationally, gives priority to, |
| 1. Prevention, |
| 2. Minimisation, |
| 3. Reuse and Recycling (including biological treatment) |
| 4. Energy Recovery and |
| 5. Environmentally sustainable disposal of waste, which cannot be prevented or recovered. |
Acronyms |
| AA Appropriate Assessment |
| ACA - Architectural Conservation Area |
| AHB - Approved Housing Bodies |
| ABTA – Area Based Transport Plan |
| CALF Capital Advance Leasing Facility |
| CAS Capital Assistance Scheme |
| C&D Construction and Demolition Waste |
| CFRAM Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management |
| CHP Combined Heat and Power |
| COMAH Control of Major Accident Hazards Involving Dangerous Substances, (Seveso III Directive) |
| CGS County Geological Sites |
| CPO Compulsory Purchase Order |
| CSO Central Statistics Office |
| CUR Connacht and Ulster Region |
| DAHG Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht |
| DAHRRGA Department of Arts, Heritage, Rural, Regional and Gaeltacht Affairs |
| DCCAE Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment |
| DECLG Department of Environment, Community and Local Government |
| DES Department of Education and Skills |
| DCEDIY Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth |
| DHLGH Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage |
| DHPCLG Department of Housing, Planning Community and Local Government (since changed) |
| DMURS Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets |
| DTTaS Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport |
| DZ Decarbonisation Zone |
| EcIA Ecological Impact Assessment |
| EIA Environmental Impact Assessment |
| EIS Environmental Impact Statement |
| EPA Environmental Protection Agency |
| ESRI Economic and Social Research Unit |
| ESB Electricity Supply Board |
| EU European Union |
| EV Electric Vehicle |
| FRA Flood Risk Assessment |
| GEA Galway Energy Agency |
| GRETB Galway Roscommon Education and Training Board |
| GTI Galway Technology Institute |
| GTS Galway Transport Strategy |
| GMIT Galway Mayo Institute of Technology |
| GTU Galway Transportation Unit |
| GSI Geological Survey of Ireland |
| GVA – Gross Value added |
| HAP Housing Assistance Payment |
| NBAP National Biodiversity Action Plan 2017-2021 |
| HLA Housing Land Availability |
| HNDA Housing Need and Demand Assessment |
| HSA Health and Safety Authority |
| HSE Heath Service Executive |
| ICT Information and Communication Technology |
| IDA Industrial Development Authority |
| IROPI Imperative Reasons of Overriding Public Interest |
| IW Irish Water |
| LAP Local Area Plan |
| LAWP Local Authority Water Programme |
| LDA Land Development Agency |
| LECP Local Economic and Community Plan |
| LEO Local Enterprise Office |
| LTACC Local Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee |
| LTL Long term leasing |
| MASP Metropolitan Area Strategic Plan |
| N6 GCRR N6 Galway City Ring Road |
| NAMA National Asset Management Agency |
| NAP Noise Action Plan |
| NAAMP National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Programme |
| NBS Nature Based Solutions |
| NDA National Disability Authority |
| NDP National Development Plan |
| NHA Natural Heritage Area |
| NIR Natura Impact Report |
| NMPF National Marine Planning Framework |
| NPF National Planning Framework |
| NPWS National Parks and Wildlife Service |
| NRA National Roads Authority |
| NSO National Strategic Outcomes (as in NPF Section 1.3) |
| NSS National Spatial Strategy 2002-2020 |
| NTA National Transport Authority |
| NUI Galway National University of Ireland Galway |
| NWRA Northern and Western Regional Assembly |
| NZEB Nearly Zero Energy Building |
| OPR Office of the Planning Regulator |
| OPW Office of Public Works |
| ORC Office of Revenue Commissioners |
| OS Ordnance Survey |
| RANS Recreation and Amenity Needs Study |
| RAS Rental Accommodation Scheme |
| RBMP River Basin Management Plan |
| RMP Record of Monuments and Places |
| RSES Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy |
| RPG Regional Planning Guidelines for West Region 2010-2020 |
| RPO Regional Policy Objective |
| RPS Record of Protected Structures |
| SAC Special Area of Conservation |
| SDGs Sustainable Development Goals |
| SEA Strategic Environmental Assessment |
| SEAI Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland |
| SEC Sustainable Energy Community |
| SEMRU Socio-Economic Marine Research Unit |
| SFRA Strategic Flood Risk Assessment |
| SI Statutory Instrument |
| SPA Special Protection Areas |
| SRD Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas DECLG2009 |
| SuDS Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems |
| TII Transport Infrastructure Ireland |
| TTA Transport and Transport Assessment |
| TPO Tree Preservation Order |
| UDBHS Galway City Urban Density and Building Heights Study |
| UTMC Urban Traffic Management Centre |
| UNFCCC United National Framework Convention on Climate Change |
| UNCRPD UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities in 2018 |
| WFD Water Framework Directive |
| WHO World Health Organisation |
| WRBD Western River Basin District |
| WWTW Waste Water Treatment Works |