Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 May 2021
324. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of judicial reviews of An Bord Pleanála decisions on strategic housing developments that have been taken since the start of the strategic housing development process to date. [23748/21]
View answer325. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of judicial reviews of strategic housing developments that have been taken but conceded to by An Bord Pleanála since the start of the strategic housing development process to date. [23749/21]
View answer326. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of judicial reviews of strategic housing developments that have been taken and successfully defended by An Bord Pleanála since the start of the strategic housing development process to date. [23750/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 324, 325 and 326 together.
The recording of court cases is one in which I have no statutory function and is a matter for the Courts Service which is statutorily independent. Judicial reviews against the State, in which my Department may be included as a party, are co-ordinated by the Chief State Solicitors Office under the guidance of the Attorney General's Office.
Under section 30 of the Act, I am specifically precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to any particular case with which a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála is or may be concerned.
An Bord Pleanála can be challenged by judicial review on a range of its functions, including decisions on planning applications in resepct of strategic housing developments, and it publishes an update on legal cases in its Annual Report. Arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address queries directly to the relevant bodies. The contact email address for An Bord Pleanála in this regard is Oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie.
