Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

A whole series of additional works have to be done in advance of local area plans commencing now, as opposed to planning permissions granted in 2007 or before. Some of them make sure we do not repeat the mistakes of the past by building on land which is prone to flooding and other things, causing problems into the future which have to be remedied at great expense. This amendment gives the flexibility to look at such issues. There is very little flexibility as to the extension of duration currently. If it is largely complete it is, to some extent, a box-ticking exercise and some fairly significant issues are not being scrutinised as they would now under the changes in planning law.

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