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

If that is the case, it means that in the case of Waterford and the bit of Ferrybank in Kilkenny, it could be as late as 2033 before the plan commences. Given that it will take one or two years to produce the plan, the plan might not be in place till 2034 or 2035, which is a decade away. That is even longer again. I do not represent any of these areas so I do not have the same level of knowledge about this area.

I recall Deputy Naughten making a compelling case for the urgency in Athlone in particular because it crosses three local authority boundaries. It is a complex set of issues. With Drogheda and Waterford, it is only that their suburbs have spread into neighbouring counties. It is a little less serious. That is quite a long timeline. Even if the amendment passes, would it be possible for a local authority to proceed with a co-ordinated area plan prior to the new development plan cycles if that section of the legislation was enacted? It appears the answer is "No", and that they could only do it in the new development plan cycle.