Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am going to give Mr. Hogan that in the remaining minutes that I have. We currently have directors of services in planning, who have no real knowledge, experience or qualifications in planning. The deployment of staff is a matter for the local authority CEO, and I understand that. However, there must be a certain level of skill, because the role of the director of services in planning is a very important one. I have heard from different quarters in local authorities that a certain amount of pressure has been put on people in relation to planning applications. Perhaps the chief planner could have statutory rights and equal rights to the CEO in respect of the planning functions. It is about proper planning and sustainable development. It is about having key skilled people leading those departments within the local authorities. I think it is a standard basic requirement. There may be different ways of dealing with it. I am not suggesting that I have the answer. I am suggesting that we need highly-skilled people, with a vast knowledge of the system and an understanding of the Planning and Development Bill, heading up our planning departments. I am not getting stuck on whether we call that person a chief planning officer or whatever. There is a model there that works and I would like the Department to look at it.