asked the Minister for the Environment if he will amend the relevant sections of the Planning Acts in order to put a time limit on the considerations of appeals by An Bord Pleanála.
13.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Planning Appeals.
12.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he is aware of the very serious delays encountered in dealing with appeals submitted to An Bord Pleanála.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 13 together.
I am aware that a backlog of appeals had built up over the years in An Bord Pleanála.
However, as a result of the enactment of the Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1983, and the various other measures taken to expedite the appeal process considerable progress has been made in reducing this backlog of appeals on hands in the board. This has been reduced from a peak of 3,595 in May 1983 to 1,895 at the end of October 1984. I am satisfied that the board are making strenuous efforts to deal with appeals on hands in order to reduce the current backlog and the situation in relation to planning appeals generally is kept under constant review to ensure that such a large backlog does not build up again.
It would not be practical, however, to impose a statutory time for the determination of planning appeals by the board because the board as the final appellate body must give all parties to the appeal an adequate opportunity to make their case and because many of the delays which arise in dealing with appeals are outside the control of the board.
Will the Minister agree that the reason for the reduction from 3,595 in May 1983 to 1,895 in October 1984 is due to the fact that the number of planning applications to every local authority is at an all time low because of the Government's attitude towards the construction industry?
I reject that.