asked the Minister for the Environment the average length of time taken by An Bord Pleanála to decide an appeal.
Written Answers. - Planning Appeals.
25.
Statistics supplied to me by An Bord Pleanála show that in 1980 almost 30 per cent of appeals were decided in 20 weeks or less; 60 per cent were decided in 30 weeks or less, and 90 per cent in 50 weeks or less.
As An Bord have pointed out, the time taken can be affected in a major way by procedures, and by factors outside their control, such as delays in submitting grounds of appeal, requests that appeals be held in abeyance, awaiting documents from local authorities, circulation of documents, new issues arising and, in some cases, inadequate plans submitted with original planning applications.