Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

There has been much talk about the mandatory guidelines. However, there has also been much talk about the proposal for a ten-year plan. If one listens to all contributors for long enough, one gets persuaded by all arguments. The representatives from the CCMA are quite bold in saying that ten years is a good thing. I understand their reasoning. I was a local authority member and I am aware of the burden, at all levels, in terms of trying to complete a development plan and then trying to make it work, bring it to life and deliver on it. I am kind of falling to the mind that what we really need are good development plans owned by the elected members and officials for the people of the local authority area.

It is really critical that when a review is needed, the review process is meaningful and can be activated in a meaningful way. I do not expect the witnesses to be able to provide an answer right now, but it would be really useful for the committee to get a statement as to what, for them, would constitute a meaningful review process. If there was a really meaningful review process that could triggered effectively then to a certain extent, the timeline thing does not become as big an issue. It makes it more dynamic. Councillor Anglim said the development plan is a dynamic, living document. We do not live in a static world. Would that be something on which the witnesses could consider coming back to us?