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

Returning to Deputy Ó Broin and amendments Nos. 176 and 180, it is not law; it is policy. The legislation puts the principles for setting national policy statements. We disagree. We believe the national policy statements would bring consistency. The one thing we are getting on the ground, and Deputy Ó Broin is getting it as well, no doubt, is inconsistency in decisions throughout the country. We need something to bring structure to that. The national planning statements will do that. They are approved by Government and, furthermore, they will be accompanied by guidance. For context, similar amendments are proposed to section 23 with regard to national planning statements, a key mechanism introduced to improve consistency within the tiers of planning.

It was suggested by some on the pre-legislative scrutiny stage, which Deputy Ó Broin referenced, that these statements were a form of proxy legislation, but as explained at the time, not only are the planning statements themselves subject to consultation processes and Government approval, once issued, the Bill provides that other tiers of planning, be they regional or local, review their own plans for alignment with the national policy. It does not dictate that the national policy statements are applied inflexibly or unilaterally.

We are trying to get to a point where we can have that consistency. It is the one message that is coming back. It is not made by one individual, rather it is made collectively by Government and signed off by Government. Once again, we take the view that policy is determined by Government and we want to streamline the process.

Finally, I do not wish to go over it again because I have already discussed it, but we have a definitive article under section 21(4) that basically states that we must bring the review to the Oireachtas. That is absolutely front and centre. Under the 2000 Bill, it states the Oireachtas can do it of its own volition. We have a view on the structured approach and I have nothing further to add.