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

The witnesses have had various levels of engagement with the 30-plus ministerial guidelines, which have the effect of law, as we have seen in the courts. We engaged with the Office of the Planning Regulator and An Bord Pleanála around consultation. For example, there is no formal role for the Oireachtas in the guidelines. If there are changes to planning regulations, there is a clear procedure in the Oireachtas – a motion is laid before the Dáil, officials appear before us, and we scrutinise the regulations. It is not the same as a Bill, though, in that we do not get to vote on the regulations. However, a motion goes to the Dáil whereby it must approve or not approve our consideration of them. This is the process for basic planning regulation changes. For the ministerial statements, or the national planning statements, as they are called, we have no formal involvement. Nor is a formal role stipulated for local government or the witnesses' professions. I am not looking to make things complicated or to overburden people, but would it not make at least some sense to have more scrutiny of the statements as opposed to just a formal submission to the Department?