Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I hope that, in the course of the discussions currently taking place, common ground will be found to ensure we get a satisfactory resolution. In other words, I hope that the local authority will find it possible to grant planning permission, with the agreement of the dissenting objector, so that the economic potential of the area can be maximised. Looking at the history of Naas during the past ten years or so, we had a progressive provincial town. It was one of the key towns in the country but suddenly it seems to have been bypassed at every turn and what appears obvious to everyone does not seem to be possible. Long, drawn-out and protracted procedures are now part and parcel of what we would expect to be an easy solution but instead it is becoming more difficult, serious and circuitous as time passes.

The visible obstacle is already in place and we have the invisible objector. We have gone every which way about the town of Naas. If legislation is required to deal with situations such as this one, we should invoke it. Deputy Penrose referred to bureaucracy a few moments ago. It is not possible to have public confidence in a system in which there is a tendency for bureaucrats to emerge fortuitously, from their point of view, out of the woodwork, particularly as that is not to the advantage of the public.

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