Under the Local Government (Planning and Development) Regulations, 1994-99, planning authorities are obliged to notify certain prescribed bodies of planning applications received by them, depending on the impact of the proposed development on the remit of the body concerned. My Department, as the State authority charged with the protection and conservation of the nation's natural and built heritage, is one of the prescribed bodies. Where such applications are referred to my Department, they are assessed by Dúchas, the Heritage Service of my Department, and, where necessary, a submission is made to the planning authority.
Between 1 January and 3 November this year, my Department received 6,300 such planning and development notifications. Some 129 objections were lodged with planning authorities in the same period. Having made such recommendations, it becomes a matter for the planning authority to determine the application under the local government (planning and development) code and neither my Department nor I is party to such decision-making process. None of the 129 objections related to road works.