Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 April 2022
71. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the 40 new recruits approved by him for An Bord Pleanála; when he expects them to be in situ; the expected reduction in planning delays anticipated arising from the recruitment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18494/22]
View answerIn October 2021, my Department approved the 2021-2022 An Bord Pleanála (the Board) Workforce Plan which provides for an additional 24 posts across a range of technical and administrative grades including the setting up of a new Marine and Climate Unit to implement the role assigned to the Board under the Maritime Area Planning Act 2021 and associated projects under the Climate Action Plan 2021. Sanction has since been granted by my Department in respect of 16 of these additional posts, and I understand that to date the Board has filled 10 of these sanctioned positions with recruitment for the remaining 6 posts currently underway. On 29th March 2021 the Board sought sanction to fill 5 of the remaining 8 posts, and this request is currently being processed by my Department.
Following an updated assessment by the Board of resourcing issues likely to emerge as a result of planning applications for the National Development Plan and other infrastructure projects as well as legislative changes, a new workforce plan for 2022-2023 requesting 40 additional posts was submitted to my Department by the Board on 1st April 2022 and is currently under consideration. I understand that a separate resource plan for projects associated with the Maritime Area Planning Act, 2021 is expected from the Board in the coming weeks.
