Results 4,721-4,740 of 25,713 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I will speak to amendments Nos. 668, 669, 671 and 672. As the Deputy has outlined, amendment No. 668 proposes to delete section 98(5)(d), which provides that, where an application is deemed refused because the applicant does not consent to an extended decision-making period, any fees paid by the applicant are returned. Amendment No. 669 proposes to delete section 98(6)(a), which provides...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The amendments tabled relate to the planning authority. There is a different section with regard to An Bord Pleanála, which we will come to and I will address that as part of the response. The argument made by Deputy Ó Broin regarding there being a backlog in the board due to a lack of resources is something I would not completely agree with. I want that on the record. We are...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: No.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Exactly.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes. I thank the Chair and Deputies. We discussed the matter of resources a fair bit yesterday so I will not labour the point. For the matter of record, however, it was said that the board requires more than 300 staff, which it does. That is why it has a full sanction of 330 staff. Since 2022, 93 new posts have been sanctioned, 78 of which are filled. That is good progress, which has...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: For clarity's sake, and pre-legislative scrutiny was mentioned, the submissions on timelines and penalties that were made related to An Bord Pleanála. We have worked with An Bord Pleanála since then, as I outlined. The reason I responded to the point about resources was Deputy Ó Broin rightly raised the issue. I responded to that. Deputy O'Callaghan mentioned advices given...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Amendment No. 664 proposes to add a regulation power that allows the Minister to prescribe limitations to the ability to extend the relevant period for making a decision on an application with the consent of the applicant. The Deputy may wish to come back in on the need for such a power because I am not 100% clear on it. He might like to give me further information and I can consider that....

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: We have had discussions with State utilities, by the way. We will re-engage and not just with Uisce Éireann. I know there have been discussions with the Uisce Éireann, the airport authority, Gas Networks Ireland and so on right the way through in preparation. They are very important utilities and State bodies for the State. On this specific matter, I will try to understand it...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: There are two things. On page 219, section 98(4) is about where they have not made a decision and it reads “Where the planning authority fails to make a decision under section 95 in relation to an application ... within the relevant period (or such longer period as the applicant may consent to in accordance ... it shall notify the applicant thereof as soon as may be”. Section...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Chair, amendment No. 666, which obviously-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: -----is not in the Bill as published, states: In page 220, line 3, after “weeks” to insert “, or such longer period as the applicant may consent to in accordance with subsection (2),”. I do not think we have got to that amendment yet, but that is why that is not there. That will-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes, we have, but it is not-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: It does, but that decision would be to seek additional information. Say you have agreed the extension in time for the decision to be made and the assessment is made. The planning authority is not precluded at that stage from seeking further information.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The decision would be within the extended period. A planning authority may feel that it needs additional information, so it has not made a determination on the final decision as to a grant or a refusal, but there is nothing to preclude it in that extended period from saying, "Applicant Ó Broin, we require X further information." Then that comes back into the process.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: It would be. That is correct.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: It is actually not a radical change. It pretty much reflects what is in the existing Act, so I do not see it as a radical change, no.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Oh, on the utility front. Sorry. On the utilities side of things, and getting back to Deputy McAuliffe's amendments, I have already said that, specifically to try to understand what their concern or issue is relating to this section, we will engage with them again. To be clear with people, we have engaged with all stakeholders across the board, including public utilities. We will do that...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I get the point being made. I need to engage with them to work that through with them and we will come back on Report Stage-----