Avril Doyle
Ceist:58 Mrs. Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment whether he has satisfied himself with the operation of the Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1992, particularly, in relation to the role of appellants.
Written Answers. - Planning Appellants Role.
The objective of the Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1992 was to enhance the speed and efficiency of the planning appeals process without detracting from its thoroughness or its fairness. I am satisfied, in light of experience of the new appeal procedures since they came into operation last year, that this objective is being achieved. The new provisions governing the making of appeals are contributing to the considerable improvement in the time taken to determine cases, but also give appellants a fair and reasonable opportunity to put their case to An Bord Pleanála. The number of appeals on hands at the end of October last had been reduced to 469, only 2 of which were on hands for more than 4 months.