Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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I welcome everybody to the meeting, the purpose of which is to discuss the national planning framework further. From the Climate Change Advisory Council, I welcome: Professor Edgar Morgenroth, council member and professor of economics at DCU; Mr. George Hussey, secretariat manager; and Ms Gina Kelly, scientific officer. We have received their opening statement. From the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, I welcome: Mr. Paul Hogan, assistant secretary in the planning division; Ms Claragh Mulhern, acting principal planning advisor; Ms Alma Walsh, senior planning advisor; and Mr. David Dalton, principal officer.

The national planning framework is the document that sits at the pinnacle of our planning system and everything else emanates from it with regard to regional planning, county development plans and local area plans. It is a critical piece of work which is in progress at present.

This is most likely the last public meeting of the committee in this Dáil term. I thank our secretariat team for all of the work they have done for us over the past four and a half years. I thank Anne-Marie, Tommy, Seamus and Sue. We would not have got through the considerable workload that we had without their work and support. I acknowledge the co-operation of members through what most people would agree was a fairly intense four and a half years of legislating. This has been quite a collegiate committee, and we have done some good work.

I invite Professor Morgenroth to make his opening statement.