Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle. I appreciate that. I will continue. It is important that the committee reports in some shape or form. I believe everyone present is agreed that the board has been badly shaken in the past 12 months. There are incredibly good, hard-working people in An Bord Pleanála, so whatever we do in this legislation has to support them and the good people working across planning and local authorities. We cannot do something here that damages that confidence even more. Clarity on the committee, the reporting procedure etc. would be very helpful, that it would be a committee that would be transparent and that would report, and that it is not something that is internalised in the Department. That is my suggestion on that. I ask the Minister to take on board the inclusion of ecology and marine ecology in the job description.

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