Mr. Peter Walsh:

I thank the Deputy. I will illustrate my answer to the question on what a fairer process would be with an example of an issue that has been a frustration. I am not pointing fingers at anybody. The N28 Cork to Ringaskiddy scheme was submitted to An Bord Pleanála on 15 May 2017. It passed each test and was approved by An Bord Pleanála in July 2018. It has been through various judicial review challenges and we still do not have an outcome. We may not have one by May 2021. There has been no finding of any substance. Nobody can point to anything that Cork County Council did wrong on the project. I can only assume that the length of time the process is taking arises from the capacity of the courts to deal with the issues. It may well be that there is a resourcing issue there that should be addressed, although that is probably not for me to say. I am not suggesting that people's rights should be in any way curtailed. If any substantive issue had been raised, any resultant delay would be fair enough, but no such issue has been raised.