Ray Burke
Question:23 Mr. R. Burke asked the Minister for the Environment the plans, if any, he has to remove the £30 fee for public representatives making submissions to An Bord Pleanála on appeals. [2352/95]
Written Answers. - An Bord Pleanála Fee.
The fee payable in respect of statutory submissions or observations on appeals to An Bord Pleanála is prescribed by the Local Government (Planning and Development) Regulations, 1994. If public representatives participate in the planning appeals process in their own right, a fee is payable in the normal way. Where a public representative makes representations to An Bord Pleanála on behalf of others and raises new and substantive issues, it is necessary for the board to consider whether these are such as to constitute formal submissions or observations to which the Regulations apply. I understand from An Bord Pleanála, however, that the bulk of correspondence which is received from public representatives does not fall within that category and would not, therefore, be liable to a fee. I am satisfied that the present system enables public representatives to pursue their important representational role without impediment.