Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

Maybe I am not fully understanding some of the points made, but, for me, this is a simple matter. The amendment relates to section 54(3)(n). Section 54 deals with considerations for the issuance of a national planning statement. It is not just about what the planner may or may not consider. This is about what prompts a Minister to issue a national planning statement. That is my problem with it, notwithstanding the other problems that are being articulated. All the things set out in section 24(1)(a) to (o), inclusive, are fine in terms of them being considered in the issuance of a national planning statement, guidelines and so on for proper and sustainable planning. What is not okay is for that to be done in response to the assessment of any application for development. That is the problem. The Minister should not be responding at that level in a national planning statement to a particular application for development consent under Part 4.