Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We are getting to the giddy part of the sixth or seventh session ,but I want to make several points and ask questions. As I read amendment No. 302 and as the Minister of State outlined its provisions, a shiver went down my spine as he articulated the iron grip of central government planning regulations closing in on what little is left of the local democracy of our city and county development plans. I will not open up the argument here. Much and all as I am concerned with this direction in terrestrial planning, I am equally concerned with the way in which it is articulated here. It is a fight for another day. The Schedule has 22 pages of amendments to planning and development Acts.

The Minister of State's amendments to that Schedule provide for another 35 changes. If people here think this Bill is long, technical and complicated, they should look at the fully consolidated Planning and Development Act because it is probably one of most unwieldy legislative measures. If the Department has a draft consolidated version of that Act incorporating both all of Schedule 12 and these amendments, it would be helpful to share that with the committee. Trying to decipher Schedule 12 and the Minister of State's amendments has been difficult. If he is in a position to share a draft consolidated version including the amendments, if there is one, between now and Report Stage, I and other members would benefit from that.