Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We might be talking at cross-purposes here. I agree with much of what the Deputy is saying, but they are involved. That is my point. They have to adopt any strategy. Section 52(10) states:

(d) A report under paragraph (a) shall be submitted to the members of the planning authority, or to a committee of the planning authority, as may be decided by the members of the authority.

(e) Following consideration of a report submitted to them under paragraph (d), the members of the planning authority or of the committee, as the case may be, may, by resolution, issue no more than one direction to the chief executive regarding the overall strategic approach to be adopted in respect of the preparation of each of the following elements of the ... plan:

Among the elements listed in section 52(10)(e) is "a housing development strategy". Even in the preparation of the draft, the housing strategy comes to the members, who can at that stage - as is right and proper - direct the executive and amend any draft report. Even when it gets through there, they can reject any housing strategy through a development plan. They hold the reserved function. There are fully involved in that already. They have not just skin in the game; they have a voting function in this to adopt or reject and the ability to amend.