Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for facilitating me in raising this sensitive subject. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Damien English, for his attendance. The Ceann Comhairle will be very familiar with the silhouette of Naas, as I am. As one approaches it from any angle, one sees three cranes standing over the town, frozen in time like prehistoric dinosaurs. They are symbols of inactivity, inaction and decay which is not good for the town or the surrounding area. Worse, we could resolve it if we put our minds to it. The Minister of State has offered his assistance, as has his colleague in the Department of Justice and Equality, to try to bring this to a conclusion.

Imagine our chagrin when, in recent days, we discovered an invisible enemy within, which appeared on the horizon when a local business interest with potential for the provision of more than 400 jobs had to withdraw its case on foot of an objection from a semi-State body, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII. TII successfully objected, for a second time, to such an extent that the business concerned withdrew its application on the basis that it could not risk a second refusal. I do not mind somebody having a genuine reason for making an objection. It is provided for in law, as it is in this case. However, when State and semi-State bodies are involved, it should not be beyond the boundaries of supposition for them to come together and recognise what is possible. TII's successful objection deprived the town of an industry which was going to be beneficial. It was going to upgrade the facility. The site, at the entrance to the town, has been derelict for many years. On safety grounds, allegedly, the good statutory body objected to the proposal. The proposal is in abeyance and we do not know if any application will ever receive favourable consideration.

The site is not directly off the motorway. It is off a roundabout which is off the motorway. It is a roundabout, off a roundabout, off the motorway. There is plenty of space to provide whatever safety features are required. It is an independent site and it is a prime site. There is no better located site in any town in the country. The fact that, for the second time, the statutory body decided to hold to its strict pattern and, once again, deprive the people of Naas of a beneficial investment, is unacceptable. The time has come when we must ask ourselves some very serious questions about the purpose of such an exercise. I would have thought the purpose in life of all such statutory bodies was to co-operate to the best of their ability and ensure they fulfilled their statutory functions within the meaning of the law with all due respect for all others, including the private enterprise that attempted to make the application. I leave it to the Minister of State to respond and I hope we can be of some positive influence.

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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I apologise on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Simon Coveney, who was not able to stay for the debate. I thank the Deputy for raising the issue and giving me the opportunity to outline the position regarding the site in question near Naas, County Kildare. As the Deputy said, we have had a few discussions on sites in the area. I am familiar with the cranes he mentioned. The spatial planning and national roads guidelines issued by my Department in 2012 set out the general planning policy in relation to developments being undertaken along our national road network. The guidelines advise that development that includes offices, retail or other uses along national roads should avoid becoming destinations in their own right. Section 2.8 of the guidelines sets out the requirements for service areas, including on-line and off-line motorway service areas at national road junctions. With regard to on-line service areas on motorways, that is service areas directly on motorways, the guidelines advise that only TII can bring forward such development proposals. Regarding off-line motorway service areas, such as the case the Deputy raised, which is off a roundabout off a roundabout and incorporates a retail element, the guidelines advise that planning authorities should take account of policies for the consideration of such development in accordance with the most up-to-date TII guidance on the location and layout of such off-line motorway service areas.

The guidelines further state that a proliferation of off-line motorway service areas at national junctions should be avoided and that any such facilities should be of the type that avoids the attraction of short local trips. In this connection, I should add that a destination service area incorporating a retail element should also be in compliance with the retail planning guidelines of 2005.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government and I are specifically precluded under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, from exercising any power or control in respect of any particular planning case with which a planning authority, including An Bord Pleanála, is or may be concerned. The handling of the planning application is a matter for the relevant planning authority - Kildare County Council in this instance - and we have no function or remit in this regard. However, from enquiries made of Kildare County Council, I understand that, notwithstanding the recent withdrawal of the planning application in this case, the developer involved remains committed to pursuing the development of the site in question and has made a submission to Kildare County Council in the context of the new county development plan with a view to resolving specific traffic related issues which were raised in the original planning application and to further progressing the development In question. I understand also that all parties and authorities involved in the matter are continuing to engage with one another. I hope a resolution can be found.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I hope that, in the course of the discussions currently taking place, common ground will be found to ensure we get a satisfactory resolution. In other words, I hope that the local authority will find it possible to grant planning permission, with the agreement of the dissenting objector, so that the economic potential of the area can be maximised. Looking at the history of Naas during the past ten years or so, we had a progressive provincial town. It was one of the key towns in the country but suddenly it seems to have been bypassed at every turn and what appears obvious to everyone does not seem to be possible. Long, drawn-out and protracted procedures are now part and parcel of what we would expect to be an easy solution but instead it is becoming more difficult, serious and circuitous as time passes.

The visible obstacle is already in place and we have the invisible objector. We have gone every which way about the town of Naas. If legislation is required to deal with situations such as this one, we should invoke it. Deputy Penrose referred to bureaucracy a few moments ago. It is not possible to have public confidence in a system in which there is a tendency for bureaucrats to emerge fortuitously, from their point of view, out of the woodwork, particularly as that is not to the advantage of the public.

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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I, too, hope that common ground is identified and a satisfactory resolution for all involved is reached. This has been going on a while. Our aim, as a Government, is to do exactly what the Deputy said, that is, to make the obvious and the necessary possible. As politicians and as a Government, that is our job. We want to see towns such as Naas and others in the greater Dublin area and beyond maximise their potential. That is the idea behind Rebuilding Ireland and the various construction plans and projects. We want to be able to restore towns to what they are capable of. That is the message we are trying to communicate. I hope our national laws, planning guidance, etc., will cater for it. As already stated, I hope the consultation under way at present will bring about a resolution in respect of the site.