Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 8 Nov 2000

Vol. 525 No. 3

Written Answers. - Planning Decisions.

Ivan Yates

Ceist:

280 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government when An Bord Pleanála will be given sanction to recruit an extra 35 planning inspectors so that it can adhere to the statutory deadline of four months in processing planning appeals. [24922/00]

Ivan Yates

Ceist:

347 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the statistics he has in relation to the number of Bord Pleanála appeals that have exceeded the four monthly limit for determination; and the proposals he has to review the statutory necessity of this time limitation to make it more effective. [25068/00]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Dempsey)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 280 and 347 together.

My Department and An Bord Pleanála have been discussing on an ongoing basis a range of measures to enable the board to process appeals more expeditiously in the context of the continued escalation in the number of appeals being received and the functions that will be transferred to the board in accordance with the provisions of the Planning and Development Act, 2000. Both the Department and the board regularly review the staffing position of An Bord Pleanála to ensure that all necessary resources are made available to the board. In this regard, in July of this year I approved an increase of 29 additional staff, nine professional planners and 20 administrative staff, which brings An Bord Pleanála's authorised staff complement to 134, excluding board members. I expect that these additional staff will assist the board in reducing the time it takes to decide appeals. In consultation with the board, I will continue to keep the situation under review in light of the trend in the volume of appeals and the board's performance. I have no proposals on hand at present from the board for additional staff. I have not, to date, received any request from the board for approval for an additional 35 planners.

The latest statistics, year to end October 2000, from An Bord Pleanála show that 48% of cases, that is, 2,112 cases, were decided within the four month objective as set down in the Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1992. The average time taken to decide cases was 20.7 weeks. A total of 2,287 cases were not decided within the four month objective. The delay in deciding cases has been decidedly affected by the ongoing increase in the intake of cases. To date in 2000 the intake of cases is 14% higher than in 1999. Given the pressures on the housing market and the Government's policy objective to increase housing supply, the board now accords priority status to housing developments in excess of 30 units. In the year to end October 2000 the percentage of such cases decided within the statutory period is 62.2% with the average time taken to decide these cases 17.3 weeks.

The position regarding the duty and objective of the board to decide appeals as quickly as possible was considered as part of the review of planning legislation which has resulted in the recent enactment of the Planning and Development Act, 2000. Under the new Act, it will be the objective of the board to ensure that every appeal is decided within 18 weeks, beginning on the date of receipt of the appeal. I have the power under the Act to vary this period either generally or in respect of a particular class of appeal or referral. The Act lays down that I may do this in the case of a development which is considered to be of special strategic, economic or social importance to the State. While I will keep the period under review, I have no plans to change it in the near future.