Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 December 2023
381. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of staff in An Bord Pleanála with climate action expertise; if there are plans to recruit more and the average cost per WTE and HTE per grade, in tabular form. [55002/23]
View answer424. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of staff in An Bord Pleanála with biodiversity expertise, for example, ecologists, marine biologists or ornithologists; if there are plans to recruit additional staff; and the average cost per WTE and HTE per grade, in tabular form. [54996/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 381 and 424 together.
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.
There are now more people working at the Board than at any time previously. Since October 2021, my Department has agreed to 117 new staffing posts in the Board. The Board have advised that as of the 30th November 2023 there were 254 individuals working in the Board including Board Members. The Board has received approval and sanction from my Department for a total of 313 posts for 2023.
Details of staffing are an operational matter for the Board. 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.
