James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

One of the challenges we have with water is that in many cases the issue is not actually a planning one but an environmental law issue. Most of our environmental laws come from the European Union and we are, unfortunately or fortunately depending on one's view, quite constrained in how we apply them. The environmental rules are very important. When schemes are held up in planning, it is often the environmental side that is the cause rather than the planning processes.

We will streamline processes as much as possible. For example, where we can apply exemptions, they will be applied. Those may be exemptions for what can be put in but, of more relevance, will be increasing the exemptions for the capacity when something is being put in without the need for planning permission. The environmental side is very difficult to get around. We are in an environmental crisis. We have seen the consequences of not treating the environment correctly in the past and we have to treat it correctly now.