Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)

We want it out of An Bord Pleanála as quickly as we can but, given the experience of the High Court the last time, I presume those concerned do not want to end up there again. We have the commission, An Coimisiún Pleanála, which will over time be given mandatory timelines to deliver on planning positions. It is a very serious issue.

One wonders why we have had serial objections to wastewater treatment plants over the past two decades. Even those who are for the environment oppose water treatment plants even though they are designed to treat raw sewage going into the harbour. This has been a feature of Irish society for quite a while. Then we end up with judicial reviews. The new planning legislation seeks to streamline the practice of judicial reviews but it was opposed by everyone in the House bar those on the Government side in the last Dáil. There is no point in coming in here and asking me what will be done at the highest level. We all agree in here that there has to be separation between An Bord Pleanála’s decision-making process and the Government and Oireachtas. If we started interfering in various decisions, it would be a problem.

I do believe there is an issue. I take the Deputy’s point on being honest in our conversation on infrastructure that is vital nationally. Water is an essential existential resource for the citizens of a city or country. Wastewater treatment is like this. Therefore, these are issues we should keep under review. We have the Constitution and legal frameworks, and people have rights and there are societal rights. In any event, I hope a decision comes through quickly because we do need to get the work under way. The provision of water, to me, has to be the number one priority.

On Deputy Moynihan’s point, public transport is extremely important. There will be significant investment in public transport under the national development plan. I take the point on sustainable communities. I travelled around Lucan and Clondalkin with the Deputy in respect of a very serious issue concerning access to playing facilities and what I would see as poor provision by local authorities in respect of existing land and pitches for clubs, restrictions on them and so on. We do not experience that in other counties. Dublin has particular problems in that regard. I was at a pitch with the Deputy and noted it could not be accessed at all by the club for three months of the winter because it had no floodlights. The councils in Dublin need to get a move on. In Kerry and Cork, there are facilities everywhere. They are not owned by the councils. In many cases around the country, the councils offer long-term leases. In Dublin, a lease is about five years, ten years or 20 years; in Cork, it is 100 years. I am being provocative but if I were a Dublin TD, I would really be kicking someone regarding this issue because there is a paucity. Some clubs have great sports facilities but in others, as in the Deputy’s locality, access is restricted. I never actually recovered from the 60 m sprint I did with the Deputy. Every joint of the body was suffering afterwards as a result.

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