Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)

The first question was about the Planning (Strategic Infrastructure) Act 2006 which set the fee for making a submission to An Bord Pleanála at €50. When the Bill was going through the House in 2006, the Minister who was then an Opposition Deputy, was opposed to the charging of fees. He said he did not think people should be charged for making submissions under this Act. He also called for the removal of the €20 fee for making a submission about a planning application. This view is in keeping with the Labour Party policy that people should feel free to make submissions and comments about planning applications and not feel constrained by the cost from doing so. We want to encourage people to make submissions and it might not always be an objection to a planning application but rather a request for concerns to be taken into account by the planning authority. Will the Minister be getting rid of these fees?

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