Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Mr. Mandal is not the first person to suggest that what is being presented here may cause further litigation and delays, and further judicial reviews. It has been suggested already. I say again that it is a first draft and the witnesses' attendance today, their observations and written submissions will assist us in getting the next draft of this right. It will ultimately provide a planning Act that includes everything in the Aarhus Convention - access to information, justice and participation. This can be useful as well. We need a planning Act, given the amount that needs to be done over the next decade in terms of energy development, transport, housing, apartments, infill, higher densities and so on. It is in all of our interests to get this right. I thank the witnesses for their attendance. Our final meeting is with the Department this coming Thursday. We will get an opportunity to put, if not all, most of the questions that have arisen in the past nine meetings. We will try to organise things so we get most of those questions to the Department and the officials.