Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 September 2022
47. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the progress that has been made in implementing the organisation review of An Bord Pleanála by the independent review group published in February 2016. [47346/22]
View answerAn Organisational Review of An Bord Pleanála was undertaken by an independent expert panel and published in March 2016. An Implementation Group, comprising representation from my Department and An Bord Pleanála (the Board), was established to oversee the implementation of the Review recommendations.
The Review contains 101 recommendations relating to:
- simplification of the planning legislation
- improvements to the processes, systems and practices of An Bord Pleanála
- improvements to the organisational structure and staffing
- changes to the statutory objective timeframes and aspects of the Strategic Infrastructure Development process
The Implementation Group published its Terms of Reference and Plan for Implementation in 2016. The Board, supported by my Department, as required, took the lead in the implementation of a large number of the key recommendations, with my Department taking the lead in examining recommendations requiring legislative underpinning. An update, in tabular form, on the implementation status of each of the 101 recommendations contained in the report is attached.
“Housing for All – A New Housing Plan for Ireland” sets out a number of objectives with the aim of improving the functioning of the planning system including the comprehensive review and consolidation of planning legislation. Recommendations of the Organisational Review of An Bord Pleanála requiring legislative underpinning are being considered in the context of the current review of planning legislation which is being led by the Attorney General, who has established a working group of professionals with planning law expertise to assist him in this work. The review is due to be finalised and a Bill brought to Government by the end of 2022.
Finally, the report contains recommendations in relation to the process of appointment to the Board of An Bord Pleanála, and I recently signalled my intention to bring a plan to Government in the near future which will outline a new appointment process for Ordinary members of An Bord Pleanála which will be underpinned by new legislation. In the interim, the current statutory nomination process for Board member appointments is being ceased.
