Pat Casey (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response. I am aware of the quarterly reports. One battle in regard to them was that they be published in an open source format in which the figures could be analysed and the details examined. All Members must be realistic and honestly admit that a blame game is still taking place between the Department and local authorities. That has gone on for more than a year, even after the Minister, with the best of intentions, reduced the eight stage process to four stages. Full transparency is the only solution. An application from a local authority should be dated when it arrives at the Department and then dated on each occasion it moves from one stage to the next. It would be better if the four stage process could be time-bound. That could cause problems but it would at least be possible to identify where the problem is.

See this speech in context