Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That makes sense. Mr. Goodwin argued that four weeks is too tight when it comes to the consultation period. Many of the witnesses who have appeared before us on this issue have made the same point. I agree with Mr. Goodwin regarding the eight-week period. That seems reasonable. I think it is ten weeks when it comes to development plans, which are also reviewed every six years, so there is probably a precedent there. It is certainly not four weeks.

Mr. Goodwin also raised the need for grounds for decisions to be laid out in writing and laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. I am keen to know what the benefit of laying them before the Houses of the Oireachtas would be but I am more interested to learn about the need for the grounds to be laid out in writing. Is Mr. Goodwin saying the Bill does not currently provide for that or that it does not provide for the written determination to be published? I am keen to understand that and compare it with how we deal with our current planning system in terms of onshore. I hear what everyone is saying in terms of airspace and think that is something the Department should look at.