Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

My understanding is total salary costs are €9.5 million. We are looking at whether An Bord Pleanála needs more staff. It would be ridiculous, if we are trying to build significantly more houses - we are talking about an expenditure programme in the billions - to slow the process down because we need half a dozen staff in An Bord Pleanála. It is a little like getting fire certificates in Dublin. It seems to take a long time to sign off on certain developments. If and where we need to intervene to increase the human resources needed to get things done efficiently and quickly, we will do so. It represents a good spend.