Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Notwithstanding that the new types of plans may be enacted next year, the creation of those new plans is likely to take some time. It may or may not be prioritised by the management or the officials. It would be good if the Department could provide this committee with a list of the relevant local authorities and relevant local area plans which are potentially likely to fall unless the relevant new plan sections are enacted and those local authorities produce those new plans. That would be a very significant consequence of the transitional mechanism. That is my first point.

I will make a second point. I know the Minister of State’s team will not be able to give us an actual calendar, but I would like to ask about the likely timescale for enactment. We are providing for approximately 25 transitional mechanisms. Is it hoped that the consequent new sections of the Bill, all the relevant sections and the transitional mechanisms will be enacted within a year, a year and a half or two years? I know that is a very tough question.