Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 December 2022
7. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will carry out a review of the planning laws to ensure that they are strong enough to cover the destruction of natural wildlife habitats and biodiversity. [59813/22]
View answer16. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the elements of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2022 that are being reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59142/22]
View answer17. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the work that is being carried out to streamline the planning system in the face of significant needs for infrastructure and housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58932/22]
View answer33. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide the details of the ongoing planning review being undertaken by the Attorney General; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59240/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 7, 16, 17 and 33 together.
The Review and Consolidation of Planning Legislation is progressing in line with timeline set out by the Office of the Attorney General, who is leading on the project and it is expected that the draft Bill will be brought to Government in the coming weeks. Intensive engagement between the working group, the Department and other stakeholders with regard to the review is ongoing.
A Planning Advisory Forum was established in 2021; a key commitment in Housing for All and has met on six occasions to date. It plays an important role in contributing to the emerging policy considerations of the Review, as do a number of further stakeholder engagement mechanisms, including an Inter-Departmental Group and a Standing Group consisting of An Bord Pleanála, the Office of the Planning Regulator, the CCMA and the Environmental Protection Agency.
There has also been significant engagement with the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage, which has considered emerging themes from the Review on three occasions to date. Engagement with the Committee is a key input to the development of the proposed legislation arising out of the review and I value its input to date. It intended that the Joint Oireachtas Committee will be requested to undertake pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Bill once it has been approved by Government.
All aspects of the Planning and Development Act 2000 have been considered as part of the Review and a new consolidated Planning Bill will be brought to Government in the coming weeks. The aim of the Bill will be to greatly improve the functioning of the planning system through a range of measures aimed at ensuring that the major debate on planning is orientated towards plan-making rather than the application stage. In addition, it is intended that mandatory, statutory timelines will be introduced for all consent processes – including by An Bord Pleanála.
The Bill will also ensure that the legislation is aligned with the relevant EU Directives on the environment and will bring increased clarity on the integration of the scope and role of environmental assessments into plan making functions and the consenting process.
