Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 9 March 2023

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government

General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed)

Photo of Victor BoyhanVictor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach. Clearly, we have a lot of time. There are very few people here because the Minister is on his feet in the Dáil Chamber and our colleagues are in there asking questions. I thanked the Department earlier but I failed to thank the environmental pillar and NGOs, many of whom are listening in this morning. They have done an amazing amount of work. It is important to point out that many of those NGOs and environmental groups are funded by the Department. This is an important fact that we sometimes lose sight of, as well as the fact that they are not always in battle with the Department.

Mr. Hogan touched on the Aarhus Convention. Some people know a lot about the Aarhus Convention and others know less. I am very familiar with the Aarhus Convention compliance committee. Mr. Hogan spoke about that committee and the fact that there are live complaints before it. Is he in a position to share the case book on Aarhus Convention compliance complaints? I am sure he is familiar with them. The complaints exist and we could learn a lot from them. How many complaints have gone before the Aarhus Convention compliance committee relating to Ireland? We should be learning from that. It is an important tool and an important matrix and we need to look at it. Indeed, it would be very beneficial for this committee to look at it. I appreciate that Mr. Hogan may not be able to comment on live cases but what is his knowledge of the compliance committee's work relating to Ireland?

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.