Martin Conway (Fine Gael)

I listened with great interest to Senator Crown's description of medical politics. It is sad to think that self-centred medical politics caused such delay to the construction of a hospital for our children. For the past ten to 15 years, during the greatest boom we will probably ever experience, the project could never even get off the ground.

I call for a debate on planning in this country. The Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government with responsibility for planning was in the House last night to deal with a Private Members' Bill. We need to have a mature discussion on planning. An Bord Pleanála has done enormous damage to its own credibility with this decision. It already lacked credibility among ordinary members of the public because of earlier decisions which overturned the recommendations of its inspectors. This country needs an appeals mechanism that enjoys the confidence of the people. Decisions like the one made today further erode the people's confidence in the appeals process. I ask the Leader to arrange time for a constructive debate on planning.