Gerry Reynolds
Question:136 Mr. G. Reynolds asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the steps he has taken to increase the number of planners in the system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24709/00]
Written Answers. - Local Authority Staffing.
Breeda Moynihan-Cronin
Question:155 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if, in regard to his Department's document, Action on Housing, he will outline the specific steps he will take to increase available resources in the planning system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24770/00]
Ivan Yates
Question:279 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will ensure that a circular is issued to local authorities to give them far greater flexibility in relation to the pay and conditions of planners in view of the exodus of planners from the public to the private sector; the number of unfilled vacancies that exist in executive planing posts in local authorities; and the steps he proposes to deal with these problems. [24921/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 136, 155 and 279 together.
A number of measures have been taken to increase the number of professional planners in the planning system. My Department has written to planning authorities on a number of occasions asking that they consider the adequacy of their professional-technical and administrative-clerical staffing to ensure the planning system does not cause bottlenecks in meeting demand and delivers the best possible service to the customer. While my Department has approved requests from planning authorities for sanction for additional professional planner posts, I am aware that some authorities have experienced difficulties in recruiting to fill these additional posts. However, an additional 64 planners were employed by the local authorities between March and July this year, but the number of vacancies stands at around 110.
The current pay and conditions of all local authority staff, including planning staff, are governed by the terms of the public service pay agreement which is incorporated in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness. That agreement also provides for the pay and conditions of all staff to be reviewed by the benchmarking body set up under the agreement and sets down the basis on which the outcome of the benchmarking process is to be implemented.
Further measures have been taken to increase the capacity of the planning system and the num ber of planners. Following the publication of Action on Housing in June this year I made the Local Government (Planning and Development) Regulations, 2000, which increased the size of exempted domestic extensions from 23 square metres to 40 square metres. This was designed to remove about 30% of planning applications for such extensions from the planning system in major urban areas, to allow planners to concentrate on more complex applications and forward planning issues.
I have been in contact with my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, and the third level education sector with a view to identifying ways of producing more planners through the education system. As a result, from September this year new and expanded courses in University College Dublin and Dublin Institute of Technology Bolton Street will treble the output of graduate planners in two years' time to approximately 75 planners graduating per annum. Further additional courses are also under consideration.
In the interim, to meet the short-term demand, the possibility of employing planners from abroad on fixed term contracts is being examined. In this regard, my Department is exploring with FÁS the potential to secure planners from abroad through the FÁS Jobs Ireland campaign. As well as jobs fairs in other EU member states and locations such as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, the campaign also involves the use of the FÁS Jobs Ireland website. My Department will also pursue with the local authorities and the Local Government Computer Services Board the use of information technology to streamline planning procedures.