Pat Casey (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I apologise. No timeframe has been stipulated for the process that has been presented here today. If I have read the Bill correctly, that process must be gone through before entering section 37S. Following on from that, almost every piece of detail that is required to make a decision must be submitted, including the reports from the local authority. It is most disappointing and frustrating that even when one has gone through the nine-week process, one will still not know whether an environmental impact statement is wanted. One must then request further information, as pointed out in head 5(16), to make a determination on whether development of a class as specified in the regulations made under the section will require an EIS, and that means another four weeks. If a Natura 2000 statement is required then it will be another four weeks, as referred to in head 5(16). That means there is an additional eight-week process before one submits the planning application to the board directly. Equally, is there a process where the board can look for further clarificatory information? If that is available, then there will be a further time delay.

I am slightly concerned about the lack of transparency on fees, as they can be a reason to stop a development commencing. There will be problems down the road until we have a transparent fees system. Finally, I ask the institute to give some examples of what is delaying the process in terms of compliance so that we can try to deal with them in this process.