Dara Murphy (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the reference to priority.

It is not clear, however, whether the company in question can be informed that it is being given priority as the position in this regard remains a little vague.

While I do not have any issue with a timeframe for processing applications of 18 weeks and I am aware of the 80% target and the other figures cited by the Minister of State, I cannot understand the reason the position cannot be changed to require An Bord Pleanála to meet the same target as local authorities, which must deal with 100% of applications within four months. I fully accept that An Bord Pleanála's performance has improved and that if decisions are made within the timeframe in 80% of cases, 80% of applicants will be happy. However, if An Bord Pleanála were required to process all applications within 18 weeks, large companies would have a definitive timeframe for a decision on their application and could report to their parent boards that a cap of 18 weeks - essentially four months - applies to the processing of planning applications in Ireland. I ask the Minister of State to consider this matter.

The Minister of State did not refer to the second issue I raised, namely, the practice by which companies lodge objections to planning applications for competitive or, worse still, scurrilous reasons. If an objector is not located close to the site to which a planning application pertains or if the objection is clearly motivated by competitive reasons, these factors should be taken into account, either by expediting the decision or disqualifying the objection. I make clear, however, that in the case I raise the companies in question have valid reasons for objecting. I am not suggesting their objections are scurrilous.

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