Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 82:

In page 23, between lines 32 and 33, to insert the following:“(b) the proportion of the fee payable to the Board under section 144(1A)(b) of the Act of 2000 in respect of an application under section 4 that shall, on the making a decision under section 9 on the application, be paid by the Board to the planning authority or authorities concerned, as the case may be;”.

As the Bill passed through the Seanad and into this House, there was some debate on the apportionment of fees between the board and the relevant planning authority in which a strategic housing development application will be located.

I am fully aware that while the Bill proposes a new approach to dealing with large-scale housing developments, the process will still require a significant input both from executive and reserve members of the local government sector. In this context, an amendment is required to enable me to prescribe, by way of regulations, the proportion of the planning application fee paid to the board in respect of an application for a strategic housing development that will be transferred to the local planning authority concerned. This is a fairer way of ensuring a planning authority will be recouped for some part of its costs in assessing a proposal and a planning application for a strategic housing development. I propose to bring forward an amendment to section 12 on Report Stage. It will follow on from amendment No. 82 relating to the proportioning of the planning application fee between the board and the planning authority. That will bring clarity to the matter on Report Stage.