Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister and his officials and they are welcome. It is an imaginative, creative scheme and one I support. I have two or three concerns. We are talking about commercial units, as the Minister has identified. Therefore, we are talking about, in some cases, substantial commercial rates arrears to the local authority. Some local authorities have raised the issue with me and we need to park it somewhere because it is not the intention it should have.

Residential standards have been dealt with. I have concerns about protected structures. I am familiar with the section 57 declaration. The problem with it is there is no public notification. We have a planning notice but there is no site notice for a section 57 declaration. There is no requirement to have one and, therefore, members of the public do not know it. The Minister might ask why one would put up a notice but the section 57 declaration is in legislation. We might look at some mechanism through which to put it on the local authority's website. There is a need to have that because it is important. Prescribed bodies have to be notified of work on a protected structure. Do not make it too complicated. If I was living next door to one of these pubs, I would like to know they were doing something. I am not saying to create another layer of objections but it is important.

The scheme has my full support but we have to address the issues related to whether they are protected structures, the section 57 declaration and allowing members of the public to know about that. Otherwise, it is fantastic. Well done to the Minister.