Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

My question has been partly covered. What I wanted to establish by the end of this meeting, having heard all viewpoints, was whether there was still a window of opportunity. The delegates are saying there is. Mr. Aiken has identified one particular solution - creating a legislative route that would allow for a review of the decision that has been made. Somebody would have to sit independently to decide this and it would be subject to legislation. While I thought that was the best option from the outset, tomorrow is the final day of the session and it is highly unlikely legislation could be put through both Houses. I suspect, therefore, that it is a non-runner.

There may be an option, subject to legal advice, whereby the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government could use the statutory instrument process because some licensing is provided for in secondary legislation. Perhaps there is something that might be done in that regard.

Mr. McKenna has just answered the question I was going to ask. For the past couple of days a judicial review has seemed to be the best option, but Mr. Keegan made it clear that the local authority would vigorously contest it. Perhaps, when the delegates have left, we might have a discussion among ourselves to see how we might be able to advance this option.