Vol. 558 No. 3
3 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government his views on whether democracy would be better served and the integrity of the planning process enhanced by the immediate abolition of the ?20 charge to lodge a formal planning objection. [24066/02]
The Planning and Development Act, 2000, has considerably strengthened public participation in the planning process. The imposition, under the new Act and regulations, of a fee for the making of a submission or observation on a planning application is against the background of a very open and transparent planning system, of which public participation is a key element at all stages.
The city, town or county development plan provides the framework within which all planning applications are determined. Public participation is actively encouraged during the making of a development plan and there is no charge involved. In addition, the public has full access, free of charge, to all documentation submitted with an individual planning application. It is only when a person wishes to formally lodge a submission or observation on an application that the fee arises.
The primary purpose of the fee is to contribute towards the enhanced service, required under the 2000 Act and the Planning and Development Regulations, 2001, to be provided by planning authorities to persons who makes submissions. I am satisfied that the fee has been set at a level which will not deter any person or body who has genuine concerns in relation to a planning application and I have no proposals for amendment of the requirement.
I am disappointed with the Minister's reply. Individuals and community groups are being disenfranchised by the €20 charge. Does the Minister not feel that individual observations assist professional planners in their assessment of a planning application and that over the years contributions from individuals, community groups and non-governmental organisations, such as An Taisce, have been of tremendous use to the local authority in terms of assessing planning applications? That source of free advice is being lost.
Is the Minister aware that many individuals and community groups are finding out far too late that if they do not make an initial observation and pay the €20 charge they have no recourse to An Bord Pleanála? I have had quite a few representations from people who are astounded to find out that they must pay €20 and that if they have not paid the charge they have no right of access to An Bord Pleanála. Does the Minister not feel that this is disenfranchising the poorest and weakest in society and preventing them from making their views known on planning applications which often have an impact on their neighbourhood and homes?
The truth is I do not. The regulations and legislation brought in under the 2000 planning legislation have made the planning system more transparent. Observations and all the documentation under a planning application are available free of charge although they are a cost on the local authority in human resource, time and cash terms. A €20 charge is not the real cost and it is only a marginal imposition on an individual or group putting forward an application. It is set at the margin simply to insist the contribution is to local authorities. People make applications for many different things and are quite happy to pay for them. This streamlines the matter. It is recognised internationally that the Irish planning process is probably the most open and transparent planning system in Europe.
I am concerned to hear that because I believe openness and transparency do not go hand in hand when there is a charge to enter into debate. In a sense it is an exclusive club one must pay a €20 charge to enter. That flies in the face of allowing access to local democracy. Does the Minister agree that it is a lot easier for city and county councillors or Deputies to make representations and pay the €20 fee than it is for people of limited means? Does he also agree that often it is the single householder or a family that lives next to a proposed development who will be most affected and who will find the charge quite daunting? Does the Minister not think that representations are a source of free advice which are now being lost?
I do not agree with what the Deputy suggests and I am sure that at heart he does not believe it either. The planning is a transparent process done in a public way. If someone wants to lodge a submission formally then a €20 fee must accompany it. In today's world that is easily affordable by almost anybody and it is certainly not a bar to a proper planning process.
