Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Of course. I certainly get the point. Deputy O'Callaghan has done development plans too. I assume every person in here has sat through and voted on a development plan. When looking at development plans, you will see where school sites are identified and where there are objectives for school sites and community facilities. That is all part of the plan-making process. What we want to do as part of this Bill, which we will get to later on, is to have more clarity about that and to be more specific. That is one of the reasons we are looking to have a longer term for a development plan, but of course a planning authority will make a decision on an application and has a range of reasons a planning application might be refused.

That is their function as planners to make that decision. We have discussed what this element does. It is not a carte blancheto say, "Forget about everything else and you must grant this permission." This is what this discussion has gone into. That is not it at all. This would be something that might happen as the population grows. Right now we are reviewing the NPF and will set down our new targets. It does not impinge or put in on a decision that a planner can make in proper planning terms, which they do. To grant a permission or refuse a permission on the basis of deficient facilities or facilities are not there is a matter for the planning authority.