Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)

I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak on the Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006 which purports to amend the planning Acts to introduce a strategic consent process for infrastructure of national importance provided by statutory bodies and private promoters and restructure An Bord Pleanála to establish a strategic infrastructure division to handle all major infrastructural projects. It is claimed the Bill will provide a better service for all involved, including the infrastructure providers, State bodies and the general public. It is to do so by providing for a single stage process of approval for projects, rigorous assessment, including environmental impact assessment, full public consultation — or so it states — and certainty regarding timeframes. Among the infrastructure to be included in the process are major environmental, transport and energy projects. The decision on whether a project is to be dealt with under the strategic consent process is a matter in each case for An Bord Pleanála.

The Bill's key features include introducing a one-step strategic consent procedure for certain types of major infrastructure. It also deals with responsibility for deciding on approval of railway orders, including light rail and metros, which are to be transferred from the Minister for Transport to An Bord Pleanála, and on large electricity transmission lines and strategic gas pipeline infrastructure, also to be transferred.

A new division will be established within An Bord Pleanála to handle decisions on all major infrastructural projects, including major local authority projects and motorways, which are already its responsibility, strategic infrastructure consents, major electricity transmission lines, railway orders and strategic gas infrastructural projects. The types of projects covered are set out in the Schedule to the Planning and Development Act 2000. The persons or bodies seeking permission for such strategic infrastructure will apply in the first instance to An Bord Pleanála for a decision on whether it is of strategic importance. Where the board decides positively, an application, with an environmental impact statement, may be made directly to it. It has been claimed that the public, local authorities and stakeholders will be consulted and that their views will be taken into account. The Bill also introduces major changes to the way in which the board handles infrastructure consent issues.

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