John Browne
Question:29 Mr. Browne (Carlow-Kilkenny) asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands the makeup of Dúchas regarding the names and qualifications of officers in relation to planning. [6421/02]
Written Answers. - Planning Applications.
The remit of Dúchas, the heritage service of the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, is to protect, conserve and maintain the State's natural and built – including archaeological – heritage. My Department is also a statutory consultee in relation to planning applications under consideration by a planning authority. These responsibilities arise from both national and European law. As a statutory consultee in relation to planning matters, Dúchas is obliged to comment on and, where appropriate, make recommendations to the relevant planning authority – which may accept or reject them – where it is believed that proposed developments may have a negative impact on our heritage.
Planning applications are assessed to determine any potential implications for the heritage present. Such assessments are completed by a variety of departmental officers including wildlife rangers, district conservation officers, district, regional and divisional managers, architects, archaeologists and engineers who have a variety of qualifications and various levels of expertise in archaeology, architecture and ecology. Many members of staff assess planning applications as part of their normal duties and only a small number of staff are engaged full time in assessing such applications. In addition, all comments, observations and recommendations made by staff members assessing planning applications are reviewed and co-ordinated by the development applications section of my Department in conjunction with senior management to ensure that my Department deals with all planning applications referred to it in a consistent and fair manner.
In the vast majority of cases my Department either does not find it necessary to comment on planning applications or is able to acquiesce in developments proposed subject to appropriate mitigation measures. It is only in exceptional circumstances that the Department finds it necessary to recommend, for specific stated reasons, that a planning authority not grant planning permission. It should be noted that Dúchas does not and indeed cannot refuse planning permission. The responsibility for so doing clearly rests with the relevant planning authority. In the event of a planning authority refusing to grant planning permission, the applicant has the right to appeal such a decision to An Bord Pleanála, an independent body which will decide on the issue after considering all aspects of the case. As mentioned above, all planning applications which require the input of Dúchas into the planning process are co-ordinated by the development applications section of my Department, and this section reports directly to the director of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Dr. Alan Craig.