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

I will address those points and then I will conclude. I will not come back in again because I think I have made the point. Members should look at section 65(3). Deputy O’Callaghan referred to housing, and I was not being facetious. It reads "The purpose referred to in subsection (2) is to make provision for or in connection with a class of infrastructure or other development of national or strategic importance specified in the urgent direction". Again, it would require Government approval to issue it.

The other really important point is that this relates to a potential variation of a development plan.

Should there be a type of infrastructure to be put in place on the back of that, it would constitute a change in the development plan and would require a planning application. To use Deputy Ó Broin's example of the Galway ring road, this would not involve doing what was done with SHDs, which was going over the local authorities at the planning level and straight to An Bord Pleanála. It would involve, in very extreme cases, making a designation on a development plan. I have given the context in which that would be done. Others may disagree with it but I have been very clear on what the context would be.

Basically, a change would be made to the development plan but anything that happens following that change would go through the normal planning process. It is not the case that it would simply involve saying that an area is to be designated for such and such infrastructure and that is it and nobody has a say in it. I am not suggesting that is what Deputy Ó Broin was saying but he made a comparison with SHDs, in respect of which one of the big issues, I understand, was that local communities and others did not get to have their say at a planning authority level, with matters going straight to An Bord Pleanála. That is why I decided, as Minister, with the support of many Members of the Oireachtas, to abolish SHDs and bring in large-scale residential developments, which have worked extremely well. We have had only one case among all the applications that have been made where the deadline was missed. It is important to look at section 65(3).

I have said enough on this amendment. I am conscious that Deputy Matthews is waiting to speak on his two amendments.