Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is very much up to the local authority but we will be encouraging local authorities in that regard. That is one such area. Anything like a planning application that is in train at the moment will be assessed under the 2000 Act. The one area which will provide change is the tiered system. If one has a development plan for a local authority and that development plan comes up for review on a statutory basis before the conclusion of a local area plan within that area, the local area plan then ceases.