Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

I thank Deputy O'Dowd for tabling the question. I know he shares with me an anxiety that the Bill be quickly introduced in the House and placed on the Statute Book. There is wide consensus that the regulatory system for major infrastructure projects should help to ensure projects are delivered in the right place at the earliest possible time in a cost effective manner. The system must also be capable of mitigating the impact of any major project on the environment and people and complying with relevant national and international legal requirements.

An Bord Pleanála is the key agency in ensuring the efficient delivery of planning approval relating to infrastructure. Over the past three years, the board has improved its performance in delivering decisions and currently determines more than 85% of all decisions within the statutory objective of 18 weeks set out in the Planning and Development Act 2000. However, certain difficulties with the current process have been identified, which can operate to delay decisions being delivered in an efficient way. Given that many current procedures are deliberately abused to delay decisions, it is important to ensure that the board has sufficient powers available to it to deliver the best possible outcomes in terms of planning and the environment and that this general objective is not hindered by procedural rigidities, of which there are many.

Having examined the problems which have arisen in the area, the Government considers that legislation is desirable to address some issues arising in the approval process. Due to the complexity of the issues involved and the need to consult widely among my colleagues, the preparation of draft legislative proposals has taken some time. I am currently working on the proposals for a strategic infrastructure Bill and intend to bring a memorandum before Cabinet in the near future with a view to publishing the Bill as soon as possible.

Deputies will understand that I am not in a position to elaborate in detail on my proposals in advance of the Government making a decision on them. In general terms, however, it is intended to reduce the time required for obtaining development consent for necessary major public projects and to co-ordinate and streamline the different procedures currently involved, while respecting the requirements of environment and heritage protection and the need for adequate public consultation.

See this speech in context