Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 November 2023
258. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has considered the transferring of staff from the Planning Regulator's Office to the office of An Bord Pleanála in order to address the current backlog of An Bord Pleanála appeals in order to meet the statutory 18-week decision period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49260/23]
View answerAn 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.
As of the 31 October 2023 there are 249 people, including Board Members working in An Bord Pleanála, more than any time previously. Since October 2021, my Department has agreed to 117 new staffing posts in the Board, as detailed below.
• In October 2021, my Department approved an additional 24 posts across a range of technical and administrative grades including the setting up of a new Marine and Climate Unit.
• In December 2022, 34 additional posts were sanctioned, and the Board is in the process of filling these positions.
• In April 2023, the Board submitted sanction requests for a total of 59 new posts, all of which were approved by my Department.
It is intended that when all the approved posts are filled, over 300 people will be employed by the Board. This will represent an increase in the overall agreed staffing at An Bord Pleanála to in excess of 50% since 2021.
More Board members have now been appointed than at any stage previously. The total number of Board members serving in An Bord Pleanála is now 15, the maximum now provided for under the legislation. Arrangements are being put in place for the new recruitment process for full-term board members, and interim temporary board members continue to be appointed as vacancies arise.
An Bord Pleanála received an Exchequer allocation of €26.9 million for 2023, which was an increase of €4.7 million on their 2022 allocation. In Budget 2024 a further €5 million is to be made available to An Bord Pleanála, to enable sanctioned staffing levels to increase to more than 300 people and 15 decision-making board members to be maintained.
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.
