Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 July 2023
354. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department would consider reforming the zoning and planning process to improve the timelines for delivery of housing and infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33560/23]
View answer355. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department would consider simplifying and shortening the planning process to hasten building of housing and energy infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33561/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 354 and 355 together.
The draft Planning and Development Bill 2022 was published in January and the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage has undertaken a significant pre-legislative scrutiny process on the draft Bill. Their report contains more than 150 recommendations, which I am considering carefully. My Department continues to work closely with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to finalise the Bill, taking account of the pre-legislative scrutiny report and submissions from stakeholders more broadly. Once finalised, the Bill will be published and proceed before the Houses of the Oireachtas, subject to its schedule.
The Review has taken consideration of all aspects of planning including environmental assessment and improving processes to ensure the delivery of critical infrastructure, such as renewable energy, housing and transport.
The draft Bill increases clarity, streamlines the legislation and improves coherence and usability for the public and practitioners. It also ensures alignment and consistency, both with European and environmental obligations and in relation to the various tiers of national, regional and local plan-making. Importantly, it provides greater certainty through the introduction of a range of statutory and mandatory timelines across the various consenting processes, including for An Bord Pleanála.
The Government, through the introduction of the Large-Scale Residential Developments process, continues to expedite the delivery of housing supply while also providing certainty and stability to the construction sector by retaining some of the positive elements of the SHD arrangements such as mandatory pre-application consultation, quality of applications submitted and decision timelines.
