Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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856. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the rate of invalidation of planning applications for west Cork being 61%, his views on this and if he accepts that accurate comparative statistics are a necessary tool in evaluating the degree to which water authorities are implementing the relevant guidelines he has set. [46844/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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As indicated in the reply to the Deputy’s Question No. 552 of 10 November 2015, the annual planning statistics supplied by Cork County Council for inclusion in the national report published by my Department are not broken down on a Divisional basis. However, in order to be of assistance, the Council has supplied to my Department the following details of planning applications in its Western Division, which reflect a much lower - and reducing - rate of invalidations of planning applications in West Cork than that indicated in the Question:

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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857. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he is aware that due to delays in the planning process, including an invalidation because of an issue with a planning notice that the works scheduled to be carried out in April to June 2015, in fine weather, on the harbour and pier in Cape Clear Island did not begin until October 2015 storms and bad weather causing difficulties to contractors and workers, and disruption to the residents with a limited ferry service because the work was not completed before the winter, as was the original intention. [46845/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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Planning authorities are required to determine the validity or otherwise of individual planning applications submitted to them in accordance with the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 to 2015, while also having regard to Ministerial guidelines issued under section 29 of the 2000 Act. It is a matter, therefore, for applicants for planning permission to ensure that they comply with all statutory requirements in order minimise the time taken to make decisions on their applications. Cork County Council has informed my Department that the first planning application in the case referred to was invalid because of failure to comply with the following notice requirements prescribed under the Planning and Development Regulations:

- Article 239(b): A newspaper notice relating to a planning application accompanied by a Natura impact statement must specify that the statement will be available for inspection or purchase at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy during office hours at the office of the planning authority concerned;

- Article 19(1)(b) and (4): A site notice in respect of proposed development on a site must generally be inscribed or printed on a white background. [The site notice for this planning application was inscribed or printed on a yellow background, which is a requirement only in the case of a second application where a valid planning application was made within the preceding 6 months in respect of the same site, or part of the same site.]