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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 20 May 2003

Vol. 567 No. 1

Written Answers. - Planning Applications.

Seán Crowe

Ceist:

411 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if, following the view recently expressed by the EU Commission in regard to the substantial fee of ?20 being charged to make a submission to the relevant planning authority, and in view of the obvious discriminatory nature of this charge to anyone on low income or unemployment benefit, he plans to suspend this aspect of the current planning regulations; and if not, if he proposes to await the result of a court case being taken to Europe on this issue. [13765/03]

On 23 January 2003, the European Commission issued Ireland with a Reasoned Opinion to the effect that the €20 fee for the making of a submission on a planning application is contrary to the public participation provisions of Directive 85/337/EEC on Environmental Impact Assessment. A reply, which responds to each of the points raised in the Reasoned Opinion, issued to the European Commission on 16 May 2003 and contends that the imposition of a €20 participation fee is not in conflict with the provisions of the relevant directives. I have no proposal at this stage to amend the relevant regulations which reflect an approach recently endorsed by the Oireachtas in the context of the Planning and Development Act 2000.

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