Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The committee is meeting to consider the Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) Regulations 2021 relating to school buildings and electric vehicle, EV, charging points. We will then resume pre-legislative scrutiny of the affordable housing Bill after which we will suspend to reconvene in private session.

We are joined remotely by the Minister of State with responsibility for planning and local government, Deputy Burke, who is accompanied by Mr. Eamonn Murtagh, Mr. Terry Sheridan, Mr. Brian Loughlin, Ms Fiona O'Mahony and Mr. Conor Madden. The relevant papers and briefing documents on these exempted developments have been circulated to members.

For witnesses attending remotely there are some limitations on parliamentary privilege and as such they may not benefit from the same level of immunity to legal proceedings as a person who is physically present.

I invite the Minister of State, Deputy Burke, to briefly describe the purpose of these regulations.