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

The points the Deputy raises are valid. To be of assistance, I will issue the committee a specific explanation or clarification, for want of a better word, on the issue raised and on the process involved. What is there is pretty clear, but I get the point. The Deputy can be assured that the members are involved. On the other side of it, are the public involved? As part of the public consultation, which is extensive, and rightly so, in respect of the preparation of a development plan, the public are absolutely involved and have the right to have an input into a development plan and any of the strategies relating to it. Many people will do this through their councillors as well or individually by way of public submission to a development plan, even at the predraft stage with regard to the written statement. I will give the committee a note setting out clearly what their role is within it and the stage at which they are involved. Do not forget that the councillors can reject it. I will give the committee that note. If the Deputy remains dissatisfied with that, it is open to him to table a further amendment for Report Stage. We may be talking across purposes to a degree here because we are not many miles away at all on this. What the Deputy is looking for is pretty much there already.