Results 6,321-6,340 of 20,057 for speaker:Brian Stanley

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Brian Stanley: Is there now 1,900?

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Brian Stanley: So it is 65%.

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Brian Stanley: It is heading for 2,000 cases that are behind and have not been dealt with within the-----

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Brian Stanley: In 2021, only 58% were dealt with within the waiting period for SHDs. Ms Buckley said all the SHDs are outstanding at present.

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Brian Stanley: How many is that in total?

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Brian Stanley: What is the longest case sitting in An Bord Pleanála at the moment? There are one or two that have not-----

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Brian Stanley: I know. I am sorry.

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Brian Stanley: I do not want Ms Buckley to mention a specific case, but do the ones that are waiting three, four or five years relate to large housing schemes?

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Brian Stanley: What about more than one year?

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Brian Stanley: An Bord Pleanála has one case for nearly five years.

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Brian Stanley: Would that be prioritised?

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Brian Stanley: On the 15 board members, what is the status of them being trained up? Some of them are coming from a planning background, as Ms Buckley noted, but some will not be. Even for those who are, it is a new role that they are entering into. What is the level of training? Where is that at the moment?

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Brian Stanley: We have raised the issue of internal legal expertise before with An Bord Pleanála, particularly in respect of the cost of judicial reviews, etc. Ms Buckley said she is in the process of getting that in place and beefing it up. When does she hope to have that in place?

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Brian Stanley: How many staff will be working in that legal unit?

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Brian Stanley: Is Ms Buckley looking at a legal unit of perhaps six or seven people?

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Brian Stanley: The reason I am asking the question is that I am looking at the cost of the judicial reviews and the different legal payouts. If Ms Buckley is hiring six, seven or eight staff, including lawyers, that could be a substantial wage bill, perhaps between €1 million and €2 million a year.

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Brian Stanley: Last year, that was €9 million.

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Brian Stanley: Okay. I will let members back in for a second round of questions.

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Brian Stanley: Thank you. I call Deputy Verona Murphy.

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

Brian Stanley: We will let the witness answer.