Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Department officials for this enormous piece of work; it is really impressive. We are 20 years on and the world has changed so rapidly. The 700-odd pages are daunting for a layperson like me and will be daunting for much of the general public as well. The work the Department is doing to improve the consistency, clarity and certainty around our planning is important. What is also important is that the public has confidence in the planning process. I welcome and support the Department's work.

I refer to the issues about the new national planning statements. The general public will identify with ministerial directives on height and density; they are things that resonate with and are tangible to people. What process will a Minister follow when making a proposal on a national planning statement to the democratically elected Government? What will guide the Minister and his or her Department in formulating such statements?