Planning Issues

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 June 2012

Tuesday, 26 June 2012

Ceisteanna (314)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

389 Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to his proposals regarding planning matters and in particular his proposal that there should be a record kept of all conversations and representations with regard to public representatives supporting or commenting on planning applications, which is the case in the majority of local authorities that this Deputy is aware of; if he will explain his proposals for change; and if it will involve extra time and costs on local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30534/12]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Deputy Jan O’Sullivan)

One of the recommendations of the Final Report of the Planning Tribunal is that interventions made by elected members in respect of specific planning applications should be noted on the file and that file should be available for inspection on the relevant planning authority's website.

This recommendation, together with all the other recommendations of the Planning Tribunal, is currently under consideration by the Government. It is already the case that all written submissions on planning applications made in accordance with the Planning Regulations are required to be placed on the publicly-available file as soon as possible after receipt.

Question No. 390 answered with Question No. 386.