(1) A person may make an application to the Minister for the grant of a permit required for the purposes of this Act.

(2) An application for a permit shall be made in accordance with the appropriate form approved by the Minister from time to time.

(3) Where an application is made for the grant of a permit and the Minister requires further information for the purpose of enabling him to deal with the application, he may, by notice in writing served on the applicant not later than 60 days after the application is made, require the applicant to furnish to the Minister, as specified in the notice, a statement in writing setting out that further information and, if a notice is so served, the application shall be deemed, for the purposes of section 14, not to have been duly made until the statement is furnished.

(4) Where, in his preliminary consideration of an application for a permit for dumping, the Minister forms the view that, in order to enable him to decide whether a permit should be granted or not, or to formulate conditions that should be imposed in respect of a permit if a permit is granted, it will be necessary for research or analysis to be undertaken to determine the effect that the proposed dumping may have on the marine environment, the Minister, before giving further consideration to the application, may require the applicant to enter into an agreement with the State that includes provisions of any, or all, of the following kinds ¾

(a) a provision that the applicant will, at his own expense, undertake such research or analysis as is specified in the agreement, being research or analysis relating to the effect that the proposed dumping might have on the marine environment;

(b) a provision that the applicant will reimburse the State the amount, as ascertained by the Minister, of any expense incurred by the State in undertaking research or analysis of a kind referred to in paragraph (a);

(c) a provision that the applicant will reimburse the State the amount, as ascertained by the Minister, of any expenses incurred by the State in supervising any research or analysis undertaken by the applicant in accordance with the agreement;

(d) a provision that, if the applicant fails, or neglects, to carry out any research or analysis as required by the agreement ¾

(i) the State may undertake the necessary research or analysis, as the case may be; and

(ii) in that event, the applicant will reimburse the State the amount, as ascertained by the Minister, of the expense incurred by the State in connection with such undertaking;

(e) a provision that the applicant is to give a security to the State for the payment of any amount that he may become liable to pay to the State under the agreement;

(f) a provision that the applicant will report to the Minister the results of any research or analysis undertaken by him in accordance with the agreement.

(5) Where an applicant is required under subsection (4) to enter into an agreement with the State providing for the undertaking of research or analysis as specified in the agreement, his application shall be deemed, for the purposes of section 14, not to have been duly made until the research or analysis, as the case may be, has been completed to the satisfaction of the Minister.