Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The current planning system is failing us. It was mentioned that the Planning and Development (Strategic Housing Development) Regulations 2017 mean that large scale housing developments go directly to An Bord Pleanála. However, it is up to Members of the Oireachtas to ensure there is a statutory timeframe for decisions to be made by An Bord Pleanála. It is also up to us to ensure that a person from County Wicklow cannot object, as they can at present, to the data centre in Athenry. These objections have ensured that this development will not now take place. That centre has been built elsewhere in the meantime. That is another duty we have.