Ms Alma Walsh:

Yes, I agree with the Senator in terms of the core pillar in participating in the planning process around public consultation. It is also important to reflect on the fact that while the national public consultation launched yesterday, stakeholder engagement has been under way since last year. A number of groups have been established that were designed to give effect to exactly what the Senator set out in terms of engaging with the appropriate organisations.

I will point to the reconvening of the planning advisory forum, which was initially established in relation to the review of the planning and development legislation. In the reconvened forum there are 51 national organisations and bodies providing representation from across the country on a sectoral basis. Rural communities, our immediate stakeholders such as the regional assemblies, the County and City Management Association, CCMA, business interests and environmental groups are represented. There is a broad and wide-ranging representation that reflects the national piece and the engagement. The forum has met on four occasions. It was formerly chaired by the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell and is now chaired by the Minister of State, Deputy Dillon. A number of other groups have also been established. The cross-departmental steering groups have been engaging across Government.

The consultation was rolled out online yesterday. Members of the public are now invited to review the documentation and make a submission. A national communications campaign was launched in association with this roll-out. There are advertisements in national and regional newspapers and on national and regional radio. There is also a digital and social media campaign. In this way there is engagement via print, audio and online media. The planning advisory forum will meet again next week to engage with this process. The national consultation and communications campaign will run right up to 12 September.

The Department also engages regularly at official level with our more immediate stakeholders, such as the regional assembly and the CCMA and other bodies and agencies that are under the Department's aegis. We will be endeavouring to ensure that this takes place and continues over the summer period, where possible.