Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

If Deputy Leddin wants two minutes I can give them to him. I thank Members of the House for all their comments. While the Government opposes this Private Member's Bill, I repeat that the Government recognises the importance of energy security and will continue to develop policy in this area. As I indicated, the matter is under review as we speak. The policy will not be developed by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. It is more suited to the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. I will ensure planning authorities and the board are made aware of such policies so that they consider them when undertaking their functions under the planning Act.

My colleague, the Minister, Deputy Ryan, spoke at length on this matter yesterday and highlighted the need for the approach of Government to be one of working with the relevant State agencies to ensure there is a plan-led approach that is regionally balanced for such large developments. The Minister will shortly bring a revised climate action plan to Government which will set out a suite of actions that will address rising energy demand while facilitating sustainable growth in the digital and ICT sectors. I add we must work with all parties and none on this issue, and consultation with both the public and the political system will be undertaken to develop this new policy.

I trust my colleagues present for the debate tonight will be glad this issue is under active consideration by Government. We agree the wider policy and regulatory context has shifted on this issue and we must now ensure better alignment with the electricity emissions reduction and security of supply challenges. The key points relevant to the discussion must be recognised, maintained with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and across Government, and the planning process must remain neutral. This is to ensure applications for development are not predetermined and circumvent the value of public participation in that process. Our planning process is highly transparent and accessible to all citizens and this must continue to be the case. Planning is required to consider all Government policies, and the policy is external to the planning Act. As members of our Legislature, Deputies will be familiar with these processes. It is not the intention of the planning Act to generate policy, so amending the Act to achieve policy goals is a highly inappropriate action. Developments such as fossil fuel infrastructure and data centres, or any type of development, require an open, transparent and independent planning process. It is through the comprehensive processing of planning applications by planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála that proper planning and sustainable development is maintained. Following engagement through the planning process, where a party feels a decision in planning or an individual case is not the correct one, the options of administrative appeal and judicial review exist to ensure the planning process and the decision made are robust. I am obviously precluded, as the Minister of State with responsibility for planning, from commenting on individual applications which are made.

For the reasons we have set out relating to the planning Act remaining neutral, it is not the appropriate way to deal with these issues. Also, many Members have conflated the energy issues in terms of the two plants that are down for maintenance at the moment with this current issue of data centres.

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