Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister to the House. He is committed to this issue and I am sure it has taken up most of his time since he took over his current portfolio. Perhaps it has not just become a pet political project, but one through which he will make his mark. He will recall that one of our former Seanad colleagues, a member of his party, was also very involved in the issue of house planning and design. That person produced a book of house plans for bungalows, Bungalow Bliss, but the Minister may hope to be remembered differently.

When the Minister announced these proposals some weeks ago, the first thing I did was to reflect on the announcement last year of the initial guidelines by the then Minister, Deputy Cullen. While the guidelines have changed to a degree, the change is not major. The Minister is aware that throughout the country every local authority appeared to have a different view of proper planning and development, which is one of the difficulties.

What the Minister is attempting to do with these guidelines is, more or less, the norm in County Cork. In our recent county development plans we have tried to give emphasis to local and community development and to people from the local parishes and townlands. Therefore, the Minister's proposals may not have the same impact in County Cork as they will have in other counties because we are already trying to implement much of his current policy platform. This is working quite well.

However, I would like to address a number of issues. Will the Minister explain how the planning Acts will be affected by these guidelines and what is meant by the famous phrase "proper planning and development"? Planners cite a failure to meet the proper planning and development criterion in almost nine of ten refusals of planning permission. The county manager and planners continually remind councillors that, regardless of representations, regulations and policy initiatives by the Minister, all planning applications must comply with the concept of proper planning and development. Will the planning Acts need to be amended to introduce a broader definition of "proper planning and development"? The Minister's guidelines will have no impact in a number of countries if this concept overrules them.

Senator McHugh and others referred to expediting planning applications. The core problem is the lack of staff in local authority planning departments. I appreciate the constraints on the recruitment of additional staff but this issue must be examined. Cork is no different from other counties but planners are dealing with two or three times more files on an individual basis than was the case five or ten years ago. When I was first elected the Cork County Council in 1985, it was easy for a public representative or an applicant to meet a planner.

The attitude of the planners has not changed in this regard. However, the number of applications has increased sharply while the number of planners has not and time is not on their side. It is most disappointing to discover the day before a planning application must be submitted that a problem has arisen. Applicants have no opportunity to meet the planner nor have they time to resolve what may be a minor problem. A little dialogue could resolve these issues. Sometimes public representatives can be too severe on planners but, when planning applications are turned down, the applicants are disappointed. If there was a little room for dialogue between the planning staff and the applicant, issues could be resolved in the majority of cases. However, that is not possible because of the volume of applications and, therefore, additional staff need to be recruited. The building boom will not last forever but more staff will be needed for the next five or six years. I ask the Minister and his officials to examine this issue.

The salary scale of planning staff is also an issue. Unfortunately, staff do not remain in their posts for a long time. When I joined the council, planners, engineers and managers were in their jobs forever but if a planner remains in his or her post for 12 months, it is as good as it gets because the salaries on offer to planners in the private sector are much greater that those local authorities can offer. It is difficult for a planner to get know an area, the people and the issues in six to 12 months but, unfortunately, the turnover of planners means they have just about got to know an area before they leave for the private sector. The salary scale must be examined to attract good people and to retain them so that they can get to know the area for which they are responsible, the people and the issues. It is difficult for a newly appointed planner to make substantive planning decisions overnight. The Minister should examine the reasons planning staff are leaving local authorities in droves and do whatever is necessary to ensure they are retained.

The Minister's document is a step forward. It is difficult to forecast when it will have an impact in local communities because I am concerned about the concept of proper planning and development. We could have a great philosophical debate about the standard of house design but, without blowing the Cork trumpet too loudly, the Minister will be aware of the fine document produced by my county council on rural housing design. It could become the template for other local authorities. It gives applicants information about what is appropriate to rural areas. I called for a document such as this for seven or eight years when I was a member of the council and, while I am disappointed it has taken so long for it to be produced, it is making a difference. It is only in Ireland that people will approach politicians for advice about planning before approaching other bodies but it is helpful that public representatives can give them this design booklet to point them in the right direction. I hope it will be adopted nationwide.

I support the Minister's aspiration to allow people to live in their own communities. It is bizarre that a policy initiative is required to make that a reality. However, if it can be ensured that it will work in practice as well as in theory, that will be a positive step. Senator Ó Murchú referred to the issues facing rural Ireland and the entitlement of people to reside in and contribute to their own communities must be kept to the fore. The Minister is rural proofing his policies and it is important that other Departments should do likewise. Rural Ireland faces many issues, which could be addressed at no cost to the Exchequer by implementing common sense solutions.

I am in politics long enough to know a Minister has never produced a perfect document. It will not answer all the questions but it is a welcome step in the right direction. I would like the Minister to clarify the concept of "proper planning and development". That phrase should not ruin the many positive aspects of the Minister's guidelines.