John Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Perhaps we can address the matter under that report.

Planning is an issue. We have a very large project in the north quays in Waterford which has received funding from the urban regeneration and development fund, URDF. Based on my experience of dealing with this and having engaged with officials on it, they readily admit that while we have a process for cost-benefit analysis for a particular road, building or specific item, regeneration often includes multiple projects coming together and we do not have an evaluation framework for that. We will do the cost-benefit analysis for one piece of the jigsaw but one cannot look at anything in isolation. It has to be combined into the overall project. Given that there will be significant urban regeneration projects around the State over the next number of years, it is important that we have a framework and look at best practice. There is a very good model and framework in the UK. The officials who are assessing these applications need to appear before us. The north quays project, ironically, has now created a framework, so it is a case of refining that and getting those officials' feedback and opinions on it.