Mr. Paul Hyde:

I will answer some of the questions relating to the various cases and how we make our decisions. We take each case on its merits and we try, as much as possible, to take into account all the various views. That is catalogued in inspector reports and the board's decisions. We take into account the views of planning authorities, local resident prescribed bodies and the applicants. Ultimately, we are bound by section 28 guidelines, legislation and regulations. We try to synthesise everything, making a decision on the basis of applying the law as best we can.

Senator Seery Kearney mentioned clustering and siloes in talking about particular parts of Dublin 8. In some respects, planning is a negative rather than positive power. There is no opportunity to encourage people to come with particular types of applications, such as social housing supports, and we can only judge what comes before us against the development plan, legislation and the zoning provisions for the area. If there is an oversupply of a particular type, we will take into account cumulative effect. If an application meets zoning and the code, we must consider it on its merits.

There was a question on the percentage of applications relating to the 40,000 units that have been delivered. It is not a matter for the board to track that and it is not our role to look at how many units are completed. We simply consent or refuse decisions and it is a matter for the applicants to deliver the product that we have permitted.

There was a question on the refusal rate and how many times we overturn the decision of a local authority. It was also asked if the rate is similar to the local authority refusal rate. I am not entirely sure of that but we can come back to the committee with those figures. It is important to say that in some cases planning authorities may grant permission that we subsequently refuse. It does not all go in one direction. It can go in either direction.