Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge the considerable work the officials in the Department have put into this Bill. It is important that we get it right. As a public representative, I see communities paying the price all the time for the deficits in our planning legislation. That applies, in particular, to newer communities in newer developments that have been built out through existing planning legislation where issues around, for example, bonds, the taking in charge of public amenities and other things have not been dealt with properly in legislation to date. People pay the price for that and it affects the development of the community and so forth. I must say I am concerned that those kinds of issues are not addressed from what I can see in this Bill. I have tabled a number of amendments to address those sorts of things. I hope they will be engaged with constructively and accepted, or that amendments along similar lines will be agreed to.

It is useful that the Minister has outlined the amendments he will bring forward on Report Stage but can we have some details in respect of the changes to judicial review? If the Minister knows he will bring forward additional amendments on Report Stage, he must have some idea as to what they might look like so perhaps he could share that information with us. Is there more that he can say about what is being considered for the governance of the OPR?