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

Obviously, the amendment does just relate to consultation with the relevant joint committee. This goes to part of our earlier discussion. It is different from the discussion on what the Minister should lay before each House and that the amendments made should come back to the House, but it is related. That is the process the Deputies have outlined. I will go into the more detailed piece in a moment, but I will first provide an overview.

Extensive consultation requirements for national planning statements are already provided for in section 24, which states that the Minister shall have regard to "providing guidance in relation to planning matters to support proper planning and sustainable development, including, but not limited to," the matters identified in the section. It is not necessary to list every possibility for a national planning statement in the section. For this reason, I consider Government approval for the issuing of a national planning statement to be appropriate and sufficient. I do not intend to extend requirements to the extent that obtaining approval from the Dáil, the Seanad and the President would be obligatory. The need to publish explanatory notes is not considered necessary as such information would form part of the statements themselves, likely in the form of an executive summary. It is difficult to see the purpose of subjecting a national planning statement to a regulatory impact statement as a national planning statement would not and will not be permitted to amend or delete any regulations that are in place at a given time. That is an important point. For these reasons, I am not in a position to accept the amendments.