Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Independent)

Earlier on, I was talking about the fact that all newly development rezoned areas should be SDZs to try to tie in facilities and infrastructure. As regards taking away some community input by fast-tracking the process, I see the need to fast-track the process but we still have to have the input and we still have to allow it in some way. A lot of the times that An Bord Pleanála, now An Coimisiún Pleanála, dragged on were not because of any particular objection, but because the objection process and the planning process would be nine weeks together. People should be able to have their say.

In looking at developments going forward, there needs to be some sort of tie-in with facilities and infrastructure that makes it mandatory on Government agencies and Departments to guarantee that train stations will be open, capacity will be provided, schools will be built and bus routes will actually be planned on the map, ready to go with the NTA, before any housing construction commences. We had a situation where €4 million was spent redeveloping Kishoge train station because it never opened in 2009 as was planned. A car park that was supposed to be put in place ended up being developed instead. This was a complete waste of taxpayers' money, whereas if they had made sure that no house could be built until the train station was open, I guarantee that train station would have been opened straight away.

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