Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 98 and 797 together.

The planning, design and implementation of individual national road schemes is a matter for the National Roads Authority under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the relevant local authorities.

The main purpose of the Roads Bill 2014, which is currently at Second Stage in the Dáil, is to facilitate the merger of the National Roads Authority and the Railway Procurement Agency. The Bill also provides for a number of amendments to the existing provisions of the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007. At present there is no provision in either the Roads Acts or the Planning Acts for the NRA or road authorities to enter into pre-planning-application consultations with An Bord Pleanála on proposed road developments. However, the Planning Acts make provision for pre-planning consultation in regard to various other strategic infrastructure developments, including transport-related projects, with An Bord Pleanála prior to the submission of a planning application.

I believe there is merit to the Deputy's suggestion, which has arisen from our discussions of the future of the Adare bypass.

It makes little sense to me, for example, that the promoters of the Luas can engage in preplanning consultations with An Bord Pleanála but the relevant roads authority cannot do so for a new road. Therefore, if the Deputy wishes to bring forward such an amendment to the Roads Bill on Committee Stage, I am open to accepting it. Alternatively, I will seek to introduce such an amendment to the Bill on Committee Stage. However, as preplanning consultations are a function of An Bord Pleanála and, therefore, primarily a planning matter, this will require close liaision between my Department and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and An Bord Pleanála to ensure we all agree on the way forward.

See this speech in context