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

Deputy O'Callaghan has outlined his rationale for the amendment. I do not consider it necessary because this is already covered by references to archaeological and cultural heritage. The matters currently set out in the Bill are suitable for the range of considerations. They provide adequate scope for the establishment of the national planning statement. The list is balanced and broad, as it should be. We do not want to be absolutely prescriptive down to the smallest definition. I am not suggesting that the Deputy's amendment is prescriptive, but the matter as proposed would overextend and, in some cases, potentially dilute the scope of the national planning statement by merging the statement with other policy matters that are not traditionally considered to fall within the ambit of planning and that in some cases are already provided for elsewhere.