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

I suggest we forget the politics of this matter for a moment. I would be genuinely concerned if people thought that we were trying to put in place a fast-track system that did not deliver robust decisions or facilitate the public in terms of offering their opinions, objections or whatever. The vast majority of proposals on this scale go to An Bord Pleanála. The board nearly always does so but it is not required to be consistent with existing zoning. In this legislation, An Bord Pleanála can only make a decision on lands that are zoned accordingly in terms of consistency with the development plan and so on.

I will respond to the idea that local authorities do not have a role. As I said earlier, they have a nine week statutory consultation process where the local authority plays a central role in virtually everything. The planning authority must put its opinion in writing before submitting it to An Bord Pleanála which, in turn, gives it consideration in respect of proper planning and the sustainable development of the area concerned. An Bord Pleanála must bear in mind the local area plan and all of the other things on which councillors have made decisions.

I agree with Deputy O'Dowd and others that there were terrible zoning and planning decisions made in the past.