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

It is such a big Bill that it would be a shame if we did not at least touch on some of the other key aspects of it. I will rattle through a few questions if the officials could give us whatever information they have. I will ask a final questions about the transition from the section 28 special planning policy requirements in the ministerial guidelines to the policy statements. What is the likely direction of travel in respect of those transitional arrangements and what timeline will be involved?

Will they give the committee a list of what else they expect to add to the Bill when the final draft is published? Will there be any amendments brought even at a later stage? Sometimes when we deal with planning legislation, we get amendments on Committee Stage and Report Stage. Is that likely for this Bill?

I do not see much in the Part that deals with enforcement that is new or additional or that will improve the enforcement regime. We could spend three hours talking about the weaknesses of enforcement. I do not mean that as a criticism of anybody in our planning authorities but it is a cumbersome process. Am I correct that there are no substantive changes in that Part? Will the officials outline the changes that are included?

Part 6 deals with environmental assessments. I made the point earlier that there has been a long history of challenges to transposition and enforcement of EU environmental legal requirements. What is new in Part 6 or is it simply a read-across of existing measures?

The expert group on Traveller accommodation reported to the committee in 2019. Its report referred to some changes to the planning code, in particular in respect of Part 8, section 183, etc. It was an issue we raised with Ms Maria Graham and the team when departmental officials were before the committee on a previous occasion. Was any of that considered in the context of ensuring our local authorities meet their Traveller accommodation statutory plan requirements in terms of the changes to planning law?