Francis Noel Duffy (Dublin South West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I confirm I am on campus. I thank Mr. Hogan and his colleagues for briefing the committee on the new legislation to replace SHDs. Since 2017 I have encountered many issues relating to SHDs which have already been discussed. Mr. Hogan commented on councillors being able to call up planning applications, which was the case in the past, at least in South Dublin County Council, if I am allowed to say that. If there was a large application, the officials would brief councillors on it, and if there were smaller applications, councillors could request a briefing on them. However, during the previous council term that practice was brought to an end. Councillors in south Dublin are not currently briefed on applications and they cannot request such briefings either. I was of the opinion that the SHD scheme was vague when I sat in on one of those briefings. It would be interesting if Mr. Hogan could come back on that issue.

The phrase "use it or lose it" has been bandied about quite a bit with regard to SHDs. Will there be a "use it or lose it" clause in the Bill? The research we have done indicates that in south Dublin there was a 56% commencement rate for planning applications for between ten units and 100 units, whereas, as has been discussed, the commencement rate under the SHD scheme was in the region of 29%.

My first question relates to councillors being prohibited from asking for briefings on planning applications and my second question is whether a "use it or lose it" clause will form part of the Bill.