Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I am conscious that we must defend public participation in the planning process. Can local authorities make requests as regards the decision to set the extended timeframes for statutory processes in the planning process? The Government will decide on extending statutory timeframes. However, if many of the planners in a local authority came down with Covid, as in a situation that was described to me, how would that local authority proceed? Would it apply to the Government or the Department for that?