Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 May 2023
177. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if delays in An Bord Pleanála may affect projects under the Cork area commuter rail programme in meeting deadlines for European and other funding opportunities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20862/23]
View answerAs Iarnród Éireann is not a body under the aegis of my Department, I am not in position to respond to the funding arrangements for the rail project referred to in the Question.
An Bord Pleanála (the Board) is the national independent statutory body with responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and direct applications for strategic infrastructure and other developments under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and certain other Acts.
Under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, as amended, I as Minister am specifically precluded from exercising power or control in relation to any particular case with which a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála (the Board) is or may be concerned.
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.
The Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Act 2022, which was signed into law in December 2022, addressed certain initial matters which required immediate action on foot of the Action Plan for An Bord Pleanála, Phase 1 of the Office of the Planning Regulator Review of An Bord Pleanála, and other matters relating to addressing board vacancies and addressing the Board’s caseload, including:
• Increasing the limit on the maximum number of members of the Board from 10 to 15, so as to ensure that the increasing caseload can be managed, and the appropriate quorums and suitable allocation of case files can be assured, and
• Expanding the provision to appoint temporary ordinary board members to allow for the appointment of serving or former civil servants, public servants, or employees of the Board for a term of up to a year.
• The total number of Board members in An Bord Pleanála is now 15, the maximum now provided for under the legislation and the greatest number of serving Board members ever.
• In November 2022, 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, the Board's new marine functions, as well as a number of senior positions approved under the Action Plan for An Bord Pleanála, and in accordance with the An Bord Pleanála 2022-2023 Workforce Plan, the Board sought sanction for 34 additional posts. My Department provided sanction for these additional 34 posts in December 2022 and An Bord Pleanála is in the process of filling these positions.
• On 27 March 2023, An Bord Pleanála sought approval from my Department for a total of 59 new posts under Phase 2 of the An Bord Pleanála Workforce Plan 2022-2023 a. My Department approved this Phase 2 plan on 4 April 2023.
• There are currently more people working at An Bord Pleanála than at any time previously and further to recent approval and sanctions this will be increased to almost 300 people by year end. Together with the recent appointment of 15 board members, this will enable the backlog in cases, including strategic infrastructure development (SID) applications for rail-related projects, to be addressed.
