Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to return to the existing development plan issue. Under section 31, with which I would say Deputy Cian O'Callaghan is familiar, the onus is on the chief executive to prepare a report on submissions received and furnish it to the elected members. Typically, the manager's report will have a summary of the submissions but the submissions are public documents. Ultimately, the Minister is provided with a recommendation from the OPR. The OPR does not just provide the Minister with documents. Mr. Niall Cussens sends a recommendation, which he compiles based on his professional opinion. The Minister obviously has to take that on board. Typically, given the way I am made, I would go into it in great depth. On many occasions, I might look at the language. Ultimately, however, the Minister operates on the basis of a recommendation from the OPR. As part of its recommendation, it provides a summary of all submissions. Ultimately, however, it makes a recommendation, and the Minister then has to decide whether to accept it. It comes from a professional, independent body.

If a Minister were obliged to go through every single submission, what would be the role of the OPR? What is proposed is a logical step. The documents are still available to a Minister who wishes to see them. Ultimately, bearing in mind the position on delineation, the OPR has a very valuable role. I am quite comfortable with what we are providing. I have not been in my role for very long, but I have gone through enough to understand how the system works in practice. There is a process and you get a detailed recommendation backed up by reasons. Normally, a summary is provided. As it goes along, it becomes more refined. To dovetail slightly back to Deputy Ó Broin's point, when the matter goes to the public, it is on the one issue that arises or whatever it is. I refer to the planning statement. One should remember it involves an amendment of the RSES, not a variation. Therefore, it is quite specific but it goes through the normal process we currently have for development plans regarding interaction with the OPR.