Mr. Paul Hogan:

The statutory briefing for elected representatives operates in most local authorities because elected members receive the weekly list and can call certain applications for discussion at municipal area or area committee meetings. We are open to looking at how that level of interaction can be maintained. We have to bear in mind that the large-scale residential developments are a reversion to the system within the central eight weeks where the planning application is made. Within that time, local elected members have the facility to make an observation on a planning application free of charge and they can have that recorded within the five weeks. That is something that already exists and will continue to exist, whereas it did not previously operate with SHDs. If the committee is considering making a recommendation or suggestion on that, it should bear in mind how that would fit into the five-week period during which submissions are made, how it would align with that and how it could be taken into account. The briefing information about files and large-scale developments needs to be disseminated and that can easily be done.

It is proposed to maintain the website, particularly for large-scale developments, and that is something that has proven useful and effective. One of the criticisms has been that the website comes down once the application has been determined. That is a useful facility and we would have to have a look at that. It is part of the proposal.

On the delivery side, I do not want to get too much into a whole other area but there are proposals in Housing for All to deal with those issues more separately. We would accept that the level of delivery is not commensurate with the level of planning activity, decisions made and units permitted. Delivery is important but as the Senator is aware, firm decisions have been made and matters are being advanced on foot of Housing for All with regard to, for example, a tax on what are referred to as vacant sites. However, that tax will be on zoned development land that does not come forward.

That is happening, therefore, and it is being pursued. The response has been generally positive to all those aspects and things can be incorporated as the legislation moves forward.