David Norris (Independent)

I have referred previously to the case of a fellow who posed as an architect to savage a couple of houses at the top of Gardiner Street so that some unfortunate immigrants and refugees could be squeezed into ghastly and unsafe dormitories. Our lovely planning authorities were taking the man in question to court, while simultaneously giving him planning permission to undertake some more developments in the same area. I take it that the provisions of section 9 will affect cases like the Standish Sawmills case.

I accept that the Minister's intentions are good. I am pleased that difficulties such as those which were encountered with infrastructural projects like the metro will be addressed. I have grave reservations about the involvement of councillors in these matters. I do not give the Bill an unqualified welcome, although certain aspects of it are good. I hope this legislation will have the effect the Minister desires, but I have some reservations in that regard. We need to maximise public participation in planning matters. The Minister regards councillors as lily-white and pure and sees them as the best way of marking his cards in respect of planning, but I do not think that will work — not in my book, anyway.