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

Therefore, there is accountability. The recommendation is published. The Minister's opinion is published. If the Minister makes a different decision, he or she has to explain why. That is a fair balance between democratic accountability and evidence-based planning. It is well known that one of those central to the investigations of the Mahon tribunal was a senior planner in the local authority concerned, and planners are not immune from corruption either.

There are not purist planners here who somehow or other should be given all-embracing power. Planners do not have public accountability whereas Ministers do. I think the right balance has been struck between democratically-elected people and trained and expert planners. There is balance at local level whereby local authority members must sign off on the plan, which must be based on the core strategy and fit into national and regional planning. There is a great deal of material now in the public arena and public representatives are held to account to ensure the plan they adopt is in accordance with proper planning. Public representatives do not make individual planning decisions, which are left to professional planners. I think the right balance has been struck at local level.

It is an interesting debate and it is one that is worth having. It is valid for people to have different views on the Bill. We have been discussing the core element of the proposed legislation but there are other elements to it as well. I hope we will deal with the Bill relatively quickly but at the same time that we will have the necessary debate on it. There will be further Stages in the Dáil and subsequently in the Seanad. We will support the Bill on Second Stage and I expect we will also propose amendments on Committee Stage.

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