Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

It would have to be somebody who would be competent to synthesise the submissions and the environmental impact assessment and to put a report in the Minister's hands. The Minister is then obliged, under section 23(5), to publish the rapporteur's report. That will also be in the public domain and available to all Members of the Oireachtas. We can tie ourselves in knots on all this but the truth is this is a very open process. It is far more open than any equivalent planning process.

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