Pat Casey (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I am coming back for the planning Bill. If I understood correctly, I think it will come into play on Monday and there is an information session on Wednesday. Have the developers had much engagement with the board on the fast-track planning process? I have a specific point, that I raised with the Department directly. During the passage of the fast-track planning legislation in the Dáil, it was definitely my understanding in respect of the second period of extension, that any development that had commenced and where substantial works had been done would automatically qualify for the second period of extension. It came as a bit of a shock to me when we got information from the Department that this was not the case. A planning permission will only get a second period of extension if it had commenced works in the first phase and not in the first period of the extension. In fairness, the Department has been engaging with me on this and we are hoping to solve this problem through the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill that is in the Dáil, however that Bill has been kicked down the road for the past three weeks. I do not know when it will pass.

In a great many proposed developments, the planning permission is running out of time. I gave an example of a development in Kildare, where it was proposed to build more than 80 units. Some 30 units are already occupied, a further 30 or more are almost complete, but the planning permission is due to run out next week. There is nothing in the legislation to allow the developer to continue with the work. That is only one site. There are probably a number of sites in similar circumstances. We need clarity. The Department had hoped that the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill would be enacted before the summer recess. The clock is ticking fairly fast. It will have significant implications if we do not deal with this issue. There was an oversight. We did not realise the mistake until the Department came back and stated clearly that the development must have commenced during the period of the original planning permission to qualify for the second period. That was not the intention.