Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank all Deputies and appreciate the, for the most part, considered responses they have given. In response to Deputy Verona Murphy, who is not here, I live in a terraced duplex house. I like it, as do many people. It might not suit her in Wexford. That is fine, I take the point.

There are urgent matters in the Bill. I welcome the support of the main Opposition party for the legislation and have taken on board some of the comments made by Deputy Ó Broin, as well as the areas of concern.

Everyone knows An Bord Pleanála has gone through an incredibly difficult year. We now have five board members and a temporary deputy chairperson who cannot operate as chairperson or interim chair until this legislation passes. Looking at the backlogs and issues raised across the House from different standpoints, I do not think anyone would maintain that the current position of the board and its staffing at board level is sufficient to deal with the work it has. It is not. Therefore, on a temporary 12-month basis, I will be able to appoint serving or retired civil or public servants. They will apply to these posts and I will be able to appoint them for a 12-month period. We need to increase the number of board members to allow them to do that, above what is provided for under the existing Act.

That is one of the reasons this Bill is here. A second reason is so that the interim chairperson – a role that does not exist in legal terms right now – can carry out the function of chairperson of An Bord Pleanála to manage the caseload and work that is there and get the projects Deputy O’Donoghue and others referred to through the system. This is an interim step, rather than a rushed step.

I was trying to be helpful to Deputy Mattie McGrath earlier. The two elements he raised related to the consolidated planning Bill that will come to the House and go to the Oireachtas joint committee. I got approval from Cabinet.

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