I propose to take Questions Nos. 38, 195, 331, 358 and 363 together.
The recent value for money report on planning appeals by the Comptroller and Auditor General examined the management of the appeals system, the factors impacting on its effectiveness and measures to improve the quality control of the system. The report did not make any specific recommendations in relation to the staffing or resourcing of An Bord Pleanála, which has benefited from substantial additions to its staffing and financing in recent years. Board membership has doubled from six in 1998 to the present membership of 12; the authorised staffing complement increased by 29 in 2000 and by a further four in 2001 to a current level of 138; 79 planners have been engaged on a fee per case basis to provide reports on the smaller types of appeals; seven consultancy firms have been engaged to provide reports on the larger cases and a panel of consultants has been set up to hold hearings in relation to motorway schemes, CPOs and other procedures devolved to the board under the Planning and Development Act, 2000.
The Comptroller and Auditor General's report notes that since the mid-1990s, there has been a growing backlog of cases resulting from the major increase in the number of planning appeals in recent years. I am pleased to note that the situation in relation to the backlog of cases has been reversed dramatically during 2002, falling from a peak of 2,700 at the end of year 2000 to less than 1,600 cases as at end September 2002. The board has stated its confidence that the entire backlog will have been cleared by end November 2002 to a sustainable ongoing level of 1,500 cases on hand. It is anticipated that once the backlog has cleared there will be a marked improvement in the percentage of cases determined with the statutory objective period.