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

This is a similar explanation to that which the Department gave us. Its representatives said this was the original intention of section 5. One could argue that it has become a very useful tool for third parties in clarifying what is or is not an exempted development. If we go back to the difficulties with enforcement, in some ways it can become a tool to ensure compliance that is not as cumbersome as enforcement. Therefore, whatever the original intentions were, are we losing something? I take it that Mr. Flynn's view is that we would be losing something if we narrow it in the way that he has described.