Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Tá áthas orm labhairt ar an mBille seo, an Bille um Pleanáil agus Forbairt 2023. This Bill is a mammoth piece of legislation that would require a researcher to review with any kind of thoroughness. I accept the basic objectives of the Bill include the facilitation of reforms around improved consistency and alignment throughout all tiers of planning. That is certainly to be welcomed. The second objective is significant restructuring and resourcing of An Bord Pleanála, which will be renamed an coimisiún pleanála. The third is increased certainty across the planning system through the introduction of statutory timelines for decision-making, including, for the first time, an coimisiún pleanála. Finally, there will be new strategic ten-year development plans for local authorities. All of these are worthy objectives, and if they materialise then we will certainly be in a much better place than we are now.

We have all seen how planning dysfunction has led to paralysis in so many areas, from housing, to forestry, to roads, to service provision. Serial objectors were crippling the forestry sector, which is a sector that employs 10,000 people in the State. I welcome any Bill that would address serial objectors. Each time I attend the IBEC meetings, I hear that serial objections are putting investment in jeopardy. In cases where there are serial objectors and investors coming in, the investments are being jeopardised, which can cost us jobs. We also have to think of our economy and, indeed, protect it. I welcome any Bill that is going to address all of that. I feel that it would be good for Ireland, and that we will certainly attract more investment, if people know that when they come here to invest, they will have a clear route and there will not be as many obstructions. That is certainly to be welcomed.

The current process is cumbersome and deeply discriminatory. We see it also with reference to rural planning, which has been mentioned a number of times already. Indeed, it has been more than a year since I raised rural planning matters at Leaders' Questions with the former Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Michael McGrath. He confirmed to me, at that point, that the revised rural housing guidelines for planning authorities would be published within the next month or six weeks at the latest, yet there is still massive uncertainty around the kind of flexibility that rural families are looking for. We know, for example, that the revised and updated guidelines have been eagerly awaited since 2017, when a working group was established within the Department of housing to examine the issue of rural housing, including so-called one-off housing. Instead, we have had to rely on institutions such as the Supreme Court to provide clarity on rural planning issues. We saw this in its decision in the Glanbia case, which I described as a victory of common sense against the overzealous and inflexible attitude of environmental NGOs which do not understand, nor want to understand, how rural Ireland and farming operate.

I have repeatedly highlighted, in this House and in my constituency, the delays that took place with respect to the proposed multimillion euro investment at the Banagher Chilling factory in County Offaly. This is a prime example of delays in planning and An Bord Pleanála making a decision putting a project, which involved huge investment, in jeopardy. I expressed serious concern over that. In that instance, it was clear that An Bord Pleanála was simply not fulfilling its statutory obligations, particularly when it came to section 126 of the Planning and Development Act, which provides that every planning appeal is to be determined within 18 weeks. There are huge issues around that. I really do hope that this Bill will address that. I know that An Bord Pleanála and additional resources are mentioned in the Bill. Hopefully, the new name will be a new start, and the extra resources will ensure that decisions are made within the statutory timeframe. I would wholeheartedly welcome that, as I am sure those building one-off housing and investors would.

We do not need, as I once pointed out, a library shelf of EU regulations. We need a much more simplified system, because the one we have is not working. If this Bill achieves that and if it creates a system that is clear and less bureaucratic, I certainly will be very happy, but I have to say that I have serious doubts given our history of planning legislation. I do hope that there is going to be a change. I will certainly be one of the many who will be welcoming these changes.

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