Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

Where I get feedback about the timeframes being insufficient is on the complex and technical information. I have received that feedback quite a bit. Where a period for a regular amount of consultation or notice might suffice, when you are dealing with something much more complex, people really struggled. We have to bear in mind that there are a few weeks for people to even become aware of something. As it is not necessarily as soon as a notice is published that everyone becomes aware of it, there can be a few weeks of a lead-in and then if it is complex and technical, there is usually a need to get expertise. Again, that is not instantly available and can take a number of weeks. People with expertise can be across a number of different things at the same time and not just instantly able to drop everything immediately to be able to input. Therefore, that part of the amendment is really important. It is the principle of when it is complex and technical, more time is required. That does not come through the wording in the Bill at all. It is simply whatever period the OPR, the regional assembly or the planning authority considers reasonable.