Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

The final section of the M50 will at last open on Thursday. This has been 20 years coming, the first six or seven of which were taken up by the old Dublin County Council preparing an initial design. The next five years were taken up by the EIS process which was ordered by the Minister's Department to examine and change the different routes. It took three years from the time the Minister signed off on the motorway scheme until construction started. All told, I can only count 18 months where the scheme was on public display or when there were planning delays, including cases taken with regard to the Carrickmines issue.

The purpose of this legislation is to fast-track infrastructural development but, given the M50 experience, to address the planning aspect is to address the shortest element of delay. The greatest delays appear to occur where elements which have nothing to do with public consultation are concerned, such as design, consultants and contract document preparation.

If major projects are to be referred directly to An Bord Pleanála, which is to be the planning authority of first instance, will there be an appeal process from that or will we be left in a situation where the courts are the only recourse for people who wish to submit an appeal?

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