Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Good afternoon everybody, and welcome to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Today we are carrying out further scrutiny on the draft planning and development Bill 2022. We are joined by a number of groups which have direct involvement in the planning system, both at council and regional levels. From the County and City Management Association, CCMA, we are joined by Mr. Kevin Kelly, chief executive of Mayo County Council; Ms Mary Henchy, director of services in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council; and Mr. Kieran Kehoe, director of services in Waterford City and County Council. I do not think Ms AnnMarie Farrelly, chief executive of Fingal County Council, is here. From the Association of Irish Local Government, AILG, we are joined by Councillor Pat Fitzpatrick, president, and Councillor Nick Killian. From the Local Authority Members Association, LAMA, we are joined by Councillor Micheál Anglim, chairperson, Councillor Terry Shannon, vice-chairperson, and Councillor John Sheahan, general secretary. From the Northern and Western Regional Assembly, NWRA, we are joined by Mr. David Minton, director, Ms Claire Bannon, and Mr. David Kelly. There are a number of councillors from the AILG in the Public Gallery, including Councillor Pat McGowan and Councillor Nicholas Crossan, as well as Mr. Tom Moylan and Ms Elaine Lynch. We have a really good attendance here today, and I thank you all for coming.

This is the fifth in a series of about ten meetings. We are looking at the draft Bill that has been published. We have had the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, An Bord Pleanála and the Office of the Planning Regulator in. We have had good engagement with a number of other groups as well, and we have had written submissions. We are delighted the witnesses are able to attend today because they play a critical role in the planning system and in the crafting of development plans, while the regional assemblies play a vitally important role in regional planning.

The format is as follows: members have a seven-minute slot to ask a question. It would be really helpful if they directed the question to someone in particular because it will speed things up. The seven minutes includes time to ask the question and to get the answer to it.

I remind members of the constitutional requirement that members must be physically present within the confines of the place where Parliament has chosen to sit, namely Leinster House, in order to participate in public meetings. For those witnesses attending in the committee room, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their contributions to the meeting today. This means they have an absolute defence against any defamation action for anything they say at the meeting, but members and witnesses are expected not to abuse the privilege they enjoy. It is my duty as Chair to ensure that this privilege is not abused; therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that they comply with any such direction.

Members and witnesses are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I think we have almost full attendance. We have one committee member who has been absent for a short period of time, but for the very best reasons. On behalf of the committee, I offer our congratulations to our colleague, Senator Rebecca Moynihan, on her new arrival, baby Margo. Congratulations to Senator Moynihan, Margo and Barra.

I am going to invite the witnesses to make their opening statements in the following order: Mr. Kelly from the CCMA, Councillor Fitzpatrick from the AILG, Councillor Anglim from LAMA, and Mr. Minton from Northern and Western Regional Assembly. If witnesses could keep their opening statements to about five minutes, it would be very helpful. I invite Mr. Kelly to make his opening statement.