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

In the first instance, we just got news yesterday that the ecological assessment unit, EAU, within the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has decided a determination is not needed and the guidelines are screened out for an appropriate assessment. They will have to go on public consultation. We have to put them on public display whereby the public and members of the various parliamentary parties and Members of the Oireachtas will have their say with regard to the content of the guidelines. Once that process is finished, we will be able to issue them. We are hopefully talking about a number of weeks as opposed to months to get them published and in situ.

Local authorities, throughout the network of 31 authorities, would be able to conduct a variation of their county development plans to incorporate the new guidelines to ensure they are working for citizens.

As I said in my opening response, An Bord Pleanála will have to have regard to the new guidelines when it is making determinations on applications through the developmental process.

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