I move:
That Seanad Éireann approves the following Order in draft:
Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1983 (Section 5) Order, 1993,
a copy of which Order in draft was laid before Seanad Éireann on 27 October, 1993.
Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1983 (Section 5) Order, 1993: Motion.
Wexford): The purpose of the draft order before the Seanad is to alter the membership of the committee which selects candidates for the office of Chairman of An Bord Pleanála. The proposal is that the Secretary of the Department of the Environment will take the place of the chief engineering adviser of that Department and that the membership will be extended to include the chairperson of the Council for the Status of Women.
The appointment of the Chairman of An Bord Pleanála is regulated by section 5 of the Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1983. The appointment is made by the Government, from among not more than three candidates chosen by a committee of selection following public advertisement of the position. The membership of the committee of selection, which is laid down in of section 5(2), consists of the President of the High Court, the chairman of the County Councils' General Council, the chairperson of the Council of An Taisce, the president of the Construction Industry Federation, the president of the Executive Council of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and the chief engineering adviser of the Department of the Environment. However, subsection (6) allows the membership to be altered by order of the Minister for the Environment, which has to be approved in draft by resolution of each House of the Oireachtas.
The need to alter the membership of the committee of selection arises from a reorganisation of the professional staff structure in the Department of the Environment. The post of chief engineering adviser, which became vacant in September, is being discontinued and it is accordingly necessary to replace the chief engineering adviser on the committee. I consider that the appropriate arrangement is for the Secretary of the Department of the Environment to be a member of the committee and the draft order makes the necessary provision for this. In this connection, I would draw the attention of Senators to the fact that the Secretary of the Department is already, by virtue of section 21 of the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992, a member of the committee which selects candidates for the office of Director-General of the Environmental Protection Agency.
The opportunity presented by this need to alter the membership of the committee of selection is being availed of to add to it the chairperson of the Council for the Status of Women. I am sure Senators will agree that this is an appropriate addition and I would point out that the Council is also represented on the committee of selection for the post of Director-General of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Question put and agreed to.