Committee of Public Accounts to examine An Bord Pleanála’s 2021 Financial Statements

The meeting at 9.30am in Committee Room 3 of Leinster House will be joined by the Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr Seamus McCarthy, and officials from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

During the afternoon session, beginning at 1.30pm, the Committee will consider correspondence and other business of the Committee.

Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Brian Stanley said: “An Bord Pleanála is responsible for the independent determination of appeals and certain other matters under the Planning and Development Acts, including strategic infrastructural developments and housing schemes. The Board is accountable to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and in 2021 received funding of €17.2million from the Exchequer.

“Matters of interest for the Committee include An Bord Pleanála’s performance in 2021, legal costs and settlements, judicial reviews of Board decisions, and issues around applications for Strategic Housing Developments, which were introduced in 2016 to expedite the planning application process for large-scale housing schemes on appropriately zoned sites.

“The Committee is also interested in a number of reports commissioned last year into issues affecting the Board, including a report by the Office of the Planning Regulator which focused on certain systems and procedures used by the Board. It was conducted in two phases, with the first phase of the report being published in October 2022 and included 11 recommendations. The second phase of the review was published in December 2022 and included a further 23 recommendations.

“The Committee would like an update on these reports where possible, including if any recommendations have been implemented and a timeline for the implementation of recommendations. Members would also like to hear details on the cost of reports commissioned by the former Chairperson, the conclusions and recommendations reached, and when these reports will be published.

“The Committee welcomes this engagement with Ms Buckley, who was appointed Chairperson of An Bord Pleanála in January 2023 and is the Accountable Person to the PAC. Members look forward to a detailed examination of the Board’s 2021 financial statements and related matters.”

The meeting in Committee Room 3 can be viewed live on Oireachtas TV.

PAC is a standing committee of Dáil Éireann which focuses on ensuring public services are run efficiently and achieve value for money. Further information on the role and remit of the Committee can be found here.

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.