Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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I will pick up where we left off. In some sense, our guests are asking for a significant change to the draft Bill, in respect of sections 22 and 23, and others. Expedited amendments to the development plans and regional plans would do the opposite because a certain Minister, with the approval of the Government, could introduce a new policy statement which would be followed by a very quick procedure. Irrespective of whether the elected members or, indeed, the executive like it, they would have to amend the plan. Our guests are saying there should be some softer procedure to which the development plan should have regard. Am I correct in that? Is the suggestion that central government policy creates the baseline, the minimum standards, and then if local authorities, the executives and members together want to raise those standards, they can? I am trying to square the desire to have consistency in State-wide policy with the desire for flexibility and democratic accountability locally. Do the representatives of the CCMA have views on that? The draft Bill is saying that when the Minister makes a decision, the plan changes, and that is tough luck.