Noel Coonan (Tipperary North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We will now consider the general scheme of the planning and development (No. 1) Bill 2014 with officials of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Housing Agency. I welcome the following witnesses to the meeting: Mr. Terry Sheridan, principal officer, planning section, and Mr. Terry Dunne, principal officer, housing policy development and management section, from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government; and Mr. John O'Connor, chief executive of the Housing Agency. Cuirim fáilte roimh na finnéithe go léir and thank you for your attendance today. I propose that we hear the witnesses in the order that I introduced them.
I draw your attention to the fact that by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to so do, they are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and they are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person, persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. The opening statements and any other documents they have submitted to the committee may be published on the committee's website after this meeting. Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the House or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.
Before I call the witnesses I wish to make some comments. As you are aware, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, has asked the committee to scrutinise the heads of the general scheme of the planning and development (No. 1) Bill 2014 and to report to him prior to the Bill being published. We will have three meetings, including the meeting today, to consider the issue. The other two meetings will be in January 2015, after which we will prepare and agree a report for submission to the Minister. We have invited several organisations to address us at these meetings and we have invited written submissions from several other organisations. It will be interesting and it is appropriate to start the process today with an outline from the Department on why this legislation is being introduced and on what the Department hopes it will achieve by its enactment. I call on Mr. Sheridan from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government to deliver an opening statement.