Vol. 542 No. 2
375 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will ensure that regulations under the planning Acts provide for public representatives, both national and local, to make representations on planning matters free of charge. [23769/01]
Section 246 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, provides for the making of regulations relating to fees payable to planning authorities. Such regulations may provide for the payment to planning authorities of fees in relation to the making of submissions or observations in respect of applications for permission. Under the draft regulations which have been sent on an informal basis to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Environment and Local Government, a nominal fee is proposed to be charged to persons, other than the applicant or prescribed bodies, who make a written submission or observation on a planning application.
The making of a general inquiry by a public representative as to the position regarding a planning application would not be regarded as the making of a submission or observation under the terms of the Act. However, where a formal written submission or observation by a public representative raises a substantive issue, it is intended that the general fee for the making of a submission or observation will apply.
