Ms Mary Henchy:

In respect of what Mr. Kelly described, the difference between an SHD application and a standard section 34 application is that, in the case of an SHD application, all we are doing is taking the comments of the members and sending them to the board, whose members are the decision makers. We are not actually assessing, reviewing or considering those comments. In the case of this new type of application, we would be asked to both gather and consider views. A very different bar is being set for us. In the interests of full transparency, the ability of the members to put their concerns in writing to the local authority and for the local authority to have regard to those issues is not being taken away.