Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

In regard to the notice, section 20(1) provides that on receipt of the documents mentioned in section 19(4), the Minister shall give notice of the development to the planning authority or authorities where the development is to be situated, to members of the public, to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and, if the development or any part thereof is adjacent to the foreshore, to the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. However, the important point is that subsection (2) goes on to provide that the Minister shall cause a copy of the notice to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas, so all Oireachtas Members will be notified of it.

The widespread public consultation process will then be the subject matter of a process which involves the appointment of a rapporteur under section 23. The rapporteur is supposed to analyse all the submissions received and put them before the Minister who——

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