Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

He also announced that he is going to review An Bord Pleanála on the basis that it has not been reviewed since it was established.

With regard to the five-year plan, as the Deputy knows, that comes to an end at the end of next year and I have already started to look at how we might move towards the next five-year plan. I intend to work on that early next year in particular so we are in a position to announce it at some point during 2015 in time to ensure that schools can then move forward with all of the planning and preplanning they have to do.

With regard to planning, it is helpful that there is a memorandum of understanding with the local authorities because it means they can engage in a proactive way to identify appropriate sites that are properly designated for educational purposes. By and large, that is a positive move. We are all aware of situations where, for one reason or another, an education project is held up and does not proceed as quickly as we would like. Wherever we can iron out those issues, we should do so, although without changing the quite correct approach to planning that we have in terms of the right to appeal.

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