Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Yes, we are talking here about ad hocmeetings taking place between communities and developers. We are talking about doing it on a structured level and in a way that ensures it has to take place for developments. My amendment refers to organisations that are "based in the locality of the proposed development". I will use the example of the meetings the Minister had in Santry. The council will know that a residents group in Santry is interested in what is happening there. It will know that if a residents group based in Finglas, Glasnevin or Drumcondra seeks to get involved, it is not based in Santry. The local authority will know that. It will know what happens in an area. It is like saying that Donegal County Council would let a local community group from Letterkenny talk about a development in Killybegs. The local authorities know all these matters. This is already what happens.

The Minister mentioned that he has had a dealing with this. Page 6 of the Bill provides that a local authority "may" develop. The problem I see with it is that the local authority "may" do it. There is no onus on it to do so. It is open to the discretion of the local authority whether it does this. That is ultimately the problem with the whole thing. As has been said by other Members, these are large developments that will have a big impact on the communities they are in. That needs to be taken on board and stressed.

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