Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

That follows a consultation period of 62 days. The final draft planning scheme will be submitted to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, for his consideration later this year.

It is entirely a matter for the authority to prepare a draft planning scheme and to carry out the necessary consultations. In accordance with the Act, once a draft planning scheme is finalised and submitted to the Minister, and, following consultation with the Minister for Finance and consideration of any objections from Dublin City Council, the Minister, Deputy Gormley, has the option, at that stage, of approving the draft planning scheme, with or without modification. That is when his formal role, in accordance with the Act, comes into play. The Minister has no function in the preparation of the planning scheme prior to its submission for approval.

As provided for in section 18 of the Act, the authority, which is self-financing, has since its establishment, engaged in extensive business transactions including the purchase, management, development and sale of lands in the area.

The authority, through its involvement in a joint venture company, Becbay, made a significant investment in the acquisition of the Irish Glass Bottle, IGB, site in Poolbeg. The authority's involvement in Becbay, and the position of certain former directors of the authority, who were also directors of Anglo Irish Bank, with regard to the decision making process leading to the acquisition of the IGB site, were the subject of extensive debate with DDDA officials at the Joint Committee on the Environment, Heritage and Local Government on 10 February. I am sure the Deputy attended. The DDDA advised the committee that the process was conducted in full compliance with/ the authority's code of conduct.

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