Vol. 537 No. 1
155 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government his views on the recommendation of the Leitrim County Manager to introduce a register of designers and planners from whose number planning applications would be accepted. [15396/01]
My Department is preparing regulations to bring into force the development control provisions of the Planning and Development Act, 2000. Current planning regulations require that plans and drawings accompanying an application for planning permission shall indicate the name and address of the person by whom they were prepared. The proposal referred to suggests that applications should only be accepted from persons on a register of designers and planners. The stated purpose is to obviate suspicions relating to persons submitting applications under false names, impose quality and ensure compliance with taxation obligations.
While the proposal is being considered, I would be reluctant to impose such a requirement because there are other ways of achieving the stated objective. There are also issues to be considered surrounding the limitation of the right to make applications to persons on a register related to the necessity to avoid the creation of anti-competitive barriers. Section 150 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, provides for the adoption by each planning authority and An Bord Pleanála of a code of conduct for dealing with conflicts of interest to promoting public confidence in the integrity of its business. It is my intention to bring Section 150 into force in conjunction with the development control provisions of the Act.
These codes of conduct will consist, inter alia, of a policy on undertaking work, not being work on behalf of the authority or the board, as the case may be, both during and after any period of employment with the authority or the board, whether as a consultant, adviser or otherwise. Compliance with such codes of conduct will be a condition of employment of officers of planning authorities and employees of the board. I believe this is the most appropriate way to ensure that conflicts of interest in the conduct of the business of the authority are minimised. I am also considering various proposals for improving the quality of planning applications.
