Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I am confident that at the end of the lifetime of this Government, in a year and ten months' time, we will be able to show a real record of achievement across a variety of different areas. Yes, we do want to go faster, but I do believe we will be able to show the record of delivery the Deputy referred to.

The point the Deputy made is valid. We need not only to resource An Bord Pleanála but also to resource the local authorities more. In truth, Mrs. Murphy's planning decision for the back extension, compared to Cork metropolitan rail, for example, is best managed and handled at local government level. When filling the positions, which we are doing in An Bord Pleanála, some of the best people are coming from local government. Our economy, and our country, is at full tilt. We are at full employment and the skills we need in planning relating to some of the technical areas or engineering and other skills are limited. It is a question of how we prioritise and where we give most attention. We need to focus on housing and, connected to that, transport and energy. I might include water as well because it is connected to housing. All four of those are connected.

I am absolutely confident that, with the introduction of this planning legislation, we will see a system that is far quicker. I have confidence in the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and his Department in delivering that and I have confidence in An Bord Pleanála. We have to be careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater here. Some people see the entire edifice as being not fit for purpose because of some shortage in resourcing and some individual problems. I do not agree with that. Fine-tuning and quickening the process rather than throwing it all out and trying to start again is the best way for us to go. Doing that would take longer.