Vol. 508 No. 1
608 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government whether his attention has been drawn to the extreme concern being expressed by many community councils and residents groups concerning the implications from the Planning and Development Bill, 1999, that they will have to pay to make a submission to county councils in future; if he is reconsidering this proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17994/99]
The Planning and Development Bill, 1999, contains a provision enabling the Minister to make regulations to require the payment to planning authorities of prescribed fees in relation to the making of submissions or observations in respect of applications for permission. I have already clearly indicated that it is my intention that the amount of the fee, which will be set out in the regulations, will be relatively small and not such as to unduly discourage persons who have genuine concerns from making submissions to the planning authority. In determining the amount of the fee, I will have regard to the various views expressed. I would also like to point out that the Bill, for the first time in Irish planning law, gives statutory recog nition to submissions or observations made to a planning authority on planning applications.
