Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for that. One of the most important recommendations of the 2016 review of An Bord Pleanála that is as yet unimplemented is the recommendation that all future appointments to the board be made through the Public Appointments Service. Particularly in the current context, it would be a very wise move. Could the Minister commit to doing that during his time in office?

Given that the last internal report initiated by one of the Minister's predecessors into allegations of planning impropriety, the Mulcahy report into certain planning matters in Donegal, still has not been published, will the Minister commit to publishing it and, crucially, the report of the senior counsel review into the matters concerning An Bord Pleanála? I fully welcome and support the Minister's commitment to transparency. It is many years since Mr. Gerard Convier won his High Court cases with respect to allegations of planning impropriety in Donegal; yet the report, which is on the Minister's desk and has been inherited from two of his predecessors, still has not been published. Transparency would dictate that the Minister publish it. Could he give a commitment in that regard and a commitment to publishing his own commissioned report on these matters concerning An Bord Pleanála?

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