Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 February 2024
402. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of new planners sanctioned by his Department for An Bord Pleanála since 2020, broken down by year and local authority, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6329/24]
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.
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 has advised that as of 31 December 2023 there were 254 individuals working in the Board including Board Members. The Board received approval and sanction from my Department for a total of 313 posts to date.
Since agreement of the 2019/2020 workforce plan, 50 new posts made up of senior planning inspectors and planning inspectors have been approved and sanctioned by my Department for the Board, 45 of these posts are included in the total 117 new posts sanctioned since October 2021. Recruitment of these positions are a matter for the Board.
Details of staffing are an operational matter for individual agencies. 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.
