JOINT COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 14 May 2003

Vol. 1 No. 8

Business of Joint Committee.

Chairman

We will move on to EU documents COM (2002) 750 and COM (2002) 765. Document COM (2002) 750 refers to the limitation of emissions of volatile organic compounds due to the use of organic solvents in decorative paints and varnishes. Document COM (2002) 765 refers to approximation of the laws of member states relating to measures against the emission of gaseous and particular pollutants from engines to be installed in non-road mobile machinery. Both documents, details of which have been given to members, were considered by the sub-committee on EU scrutiny and were not referred to the joint committee. Further to the decision of this committee of 27 November 2002, and with the procedures in place for EU documents, notification will be sent to the sub-committee on EU scrutiny noting the decision. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Is there any other business?

Deputy Cregan

When will we meet again?

Chairman

On 28 May. It will be a select committee meeting to discuss the Supplementary Estimates of the Department of the Environment and Local Government.

Deputy Cregan

Is there no date for a further joint committee meeting?

Chairman

The next date is 11 June.

Deputy Grealish

The programme for this session, distributed recently, stated that we would have a meeting with An Bord Pleanála. Will that happen in this session?

Chairman

I hope it will be held in this session but we have not yet agreed a date. We are working on it and are in communication with the board.

Deputy Kelleher

Would it be possible to have a committee meeting of more than one hour in length to which we could bring a few groups on the planning issue? The Irish Planning Institute, for example, is another group of professionals which has a contribution to make in addition to An Bord Pleanála. It seems that planning officials are now getting involved in the internal design of houses in regard to planning permissions. The Irish Planning Institute and An Bord Pleanála should be brought in, along with other groups of architects, engineers, Department officials or otherwise. We could bring them together and put aside a couple of hours for discussion on issues of concern such as house prices.

Deputy Grealish

In Galway, there is now a 60% refusal rate. A recent planning application for a canopy in front of a house was turned down. When I asked the planner the reason for that, he said he did not like canopies. I told him his likes had nothing to do with it but he still said that he did not like them and that the applicant would not get permission for it. We should also talk to some officials from the Department of the Environment and Local Government on this.

Deputy Kelleher

In some counties, one can almost guess if the planner has been moved. All of a sudden, tiled roofs change colour. Some new planner comes in and decides he or she does not like particular colours or types of window. There seems to be no uniformity.

Chairman

We can examine that to see how we could fit it in to the time available.

Deputy Grealish

We should have that discussion and it could go on all day.

Chairman

We had a previous meeting with various groups and, unfortunately, it went on too long. Members can only spend so long at a meeting.

Deputy Kelleher

It is a very topical issue. We could spread the meeting over a whole day and have two sittings, morning and evening, at which people could really discuss planning.

Chairman

We will examine it and bring back recommendations at the next meeting.

The joint committee adjourned at 5.29 p.m. sine die.