Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I stand to be corrected, but on the latter point, as I understand it, submissions were sought by the EPA before anything happened. I understand the agency has received thousands of submissions, all of which are being gone through. There has been total transparency and total involvement. The views expressed to the EPA will obviously have to be considered.

Reference was made to community involvement. Even if a new Government were to take office tomorrow and state it would change all of this, it could not change the planning laws. There must be a full, transparent and accountable planning process, but we are not allowing it to commence at this stage. Until the report is to hand, there will be no developments whatsoever in this area.

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