Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)

Does the Minister accept that, in these difficult times, any bureaucratic obstacle to development must be removed forthwith? There must be a strong emphasis on the encouragement of development. Three suggestions occur to me. First, one does not have to jettison good planning to ensure that the process is working effectively. The involvement of a pre-validation process can ensure that. In some local authorities invalidation runs at 40%, while in others it is below 8%. That situation should be clarified.

Second, I am glad that steps are being taken at last concerning planning appeals. I worked on the basis that only one quarter of all appeals last year were disposed of within the statutory timeframe of 18 weeks. I think the Minister said the figure was 22%, which is less than one quarter. Whatever resources are needed should be given to An Bord Pleanála to clear that backlog, including freeing up local authority planners.

Third, I know developers are not the favoured class of people in the world today, but without development this country will be in even greater trouble. Can the duration of planning permissions be extended under the terms of the new legislation for something like three years? This would encourage finance to get developments under way.

I am making those three suggestions to the Minister not to help developers, but to help development.

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