Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

We would all support that. Mr. Cussen is right about people looking at a map that shows, say, a purple patch that refers to employment. What does 20 or 60 units to the hectare look like? It would help if people could visualise what 65 units or 120 units would look like. We are not saying that is what is going in but it would provide a visual representation.

There is not a lack of information; i fact, there is loads of information. What is needed is for this information to be accessible and available to people. People must be able to understand what happens in the entire planning process. I refer to all the different processes an application goes through from when it is put in an envelope and it arrives in the planning section of the county council to when a decision is made, and the same for An Bord Pleanála. Mr. Cussen talks about the complexity of that. Some planning files can be extremely thick. I have seen them delivered in a shopping trolley. It is impossible for the public to engage.