Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chairman for affording me the opportunity to present to the committee on these two sets of proposed planning and development exempted development regulations.

The two sets of regulations consist of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) Regulations 2021, which concern planning exemptions for certain school related works and the provision of temporary accommodation for education purposes, and the Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) (No. 2) Regulations 2021, which relates to updating the existing planning exemptions for electric vehicle charging points.

Each of the proposed regulations is aimed at amending provisions in the principal Planning and Development Act Regulations 2001 to 2021 concerning development that is exempt from the requirement to obtain planning permission, with each of the proposed regulations dealing with a specific type of development.

Under section 262(4) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, each House of the Oireachtas is required to approve draft planning regulations relating to exempted development by way of a positive resolution before they can be made and brought into effect by me, as Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. This is a form of checks and balances that was incorporated in the Planning and Development Act 2000 to ensure that any exempted development proposals would be subject to scrutiny and approval by both Houses before they could be signed into law.

The consideration of the draft regulations will facilitate the delivery of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and they will assist schools in facilitating the continued delivery of education in the context of ongoing Covid-19 measures and pupil number demographic changes.

I thank the Chairman for the opportunity to present both of the regulations to the committee. If both these draft regulations are subsequently approved by positive resolution of both Houses of the Oireachtas, they will come into force as soon as they are signed by me, as Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. In this regard, it is my intention to sign these regulations into law at the earliest possible date. I thank members for their time and attention.