Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 29, 34, 112 and 114 together.

I recently announced that the Government has approved my proposals to amend the Planning and Development Act 2000 to help fast-track major infrastructure projects. The Government's objective in advancing these proposals is to contribute to the delivery of a highly effective infrastructure that the public rightfully demands while, at the same time, respecting the environment and the right of people to object to developments. It is important to provide greater certainty on the timeframe for delivering decisions while at the same time ensuring robust analysis of proposals.

The proposed new legislation will establish a new strategic infrastructure division as part of An Bord Pleanála. The new division will handle the planning decisions for major roads and motorways and other large-scale projects proposed by local authorities that the board currently oversees. The division's role will also extend to decisions on other strategic infrastructure, for example, railways and major electricity transmission lines.

In addition, the new legislation will provide that major transport, environmental and energy infrastructure projects that are of strategic importance and that at present require a planning application accompanied by an environmental impact statement to be submitted to the local authority will be referred directly to the new division of An Bord Pleanála.

It is also my intention that the board will take a more proactive role in the pre-planning process for such projects, especially to ensure that developers deal with all relevant matters in their planning applications and environmental impact statements. This will help to ensure that the key planning issues and appropriate environmental mitigation measures are addressed by developers at an early stage in the process, which should help to avoid unexpected delays at a later stage and aid people who wish to review the process. The public will also have substantial rights to comment on infrastructure proposals before the board, as is the case for major local authority infrastructure.

I am happy that the new proposals build on the proven expertise of An Bord Pleanála in handling planning appeals and, since 2001, approvals of major local authority infrastructure. Obviously I am concerned to ensure that the board is adequately resourced and has appropriate organisational structures to handle these new responsibilities as well as maintaining its current excellent performance in respect of planning appeals. My Department is in discussions with the board and the Department of Finance to ensure this outcome.

The Government has decided that as well as changes to the planning system, we need to tackle delays in the courts. My colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, will therefore examine ways, in consultation with the courts, to ensure that cases get heard earlier and that court decisions are made quickly. In addition to these changes, I am proposing some specific changes to judicial review of planning decisions in the draft Bill.

Drafting of the new legislation, which is complex and will take some months, has begun. The new division will be brought into operation as soon as possible after the legislation has been enacted.

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