Rebecca Moynihan (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am quite taken aback by the statement that access to the courts and the judicial review are considered to be an appeal mechanism in the area of planning. The courts are extremely expensive and this means that lower income areas do not really have access to appeals. The Department's contention that this is an appeal mechanism that satisfies the Aarhus Convention is quite shocking. It is indicative of a mindset that considers fast-tracking for developers as a good thing and considers anybody having access to planning appeals as a bad thing.

With regard to the Department and incorporating what are considered to be the good parts of strategic housing developments, and I do not necessarily agree that these are the good parts because, as we can see from the commencement notices, the developments are not satisfying what they were meant to do, how is it envisaged to be incorporated into the overall planning system? Does it include, for example, taking out the right to appeal to An Bord Pleanála, and saying that it goes to judicial review? Does it include the lead-in period being shortened for the rights of people and the planning departments of local authorities to be able to put together submissions? I would like this to be fleshed out because potentially it could become really important post 2021.

As with Deputy Higgins' point, can I have some clarification on the delivery and the commencement? Can we clarify that we will get these numbers? We are talking about 11,334 houses commenced. Did I mishear? Did someone say 45,000 student units? Can we get those updated figures in writing and sent on because I am not sure whether I heard that figure properly or not?

I have a query for the Bord Pleanála representatives on clustering and zoning. I have been involved in two development plans. The zoning we adopted put residential areas into the zoning. It is very difficult to say that one whole big area cannot be residential but there are also parts put into the development plan such as clustering and overintensification. I represented the Dublin 8 area for 11 years. If I am to go back to councillors on Dublin City Council to say to them that we do not want any more student accommodation units within this area, are the witnesses saying to take out residential entirely from that zoning? Is An Bord Pleanála saying there is no other way to ensure this and there is no other way of doing these developments within our current planning system, with regard to intensification of the clustering of those types of developments? I am really interested in hearing that. I have a real concern that 4,000 short-term units have been given permission in a very small area in Dublin 8. I need to check out the housing units but it was definitely under 500 for a very long time before one large application on the Bailey Gibson site. I want advice on how balanced development is done in an area. How is it done so that it satisfies the requirements of An Bord Pleanála?