Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 14 July 2022

Public Accounts Committee

2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2020
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage

9:30 am

Photo of Cormac DevlinCormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

That is fine. That explains the breakdown of it. I have another question to ask in my remaining minute. With all of the changes between the strategic housing developments, SHDs, that were brought in and the strategic infrastructure developments, SIDs, there was a requirement - of which I was critical at the time - that An Bord Pleanála was not equipped IT-wise for those changes. The interface between the public and An Bord Pleanála lacked a lot of improvement. It is good to see the changes on the website, which I have witnessed and which are important. The cost, however, is quite eye watering from my perspective. Yes, there is some consultancy in that but I ask that An Bord Pleanála would be conscious of that going into the next year.

I would like a breakdown of the oral hearings. Earlier I asked about the inspectors' reports and how often these are overturned and overlooked. It seems to me that it is a shot in the dark whether or not an application goes to an oral hearing. What are the criteria for the board making a decision about an oral hearing? Is the quorum for that decision equally two or three members? I believe this would have ramifications if an oral hearing is granted.

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