Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

I share the Senator's passion for maximum consultation with local communities through their elected representatives. As I have outlined, and as the House welcomed, the Bill is noteworthy in that it provides a specific requirement for such consultation to take place. It provides very specifically that the views of councillors must be submitted in a separate document and not incorporated as an appendage to the views of management. They must be outlined clearly and unequivocally.

Much of what the Senator's amendment purports to do is already catered for in the Bill. The board is required to consult local authorities. The Senator stated he is very anxious that decisions refer to the stated basis on which they are made. The new section 37H(2) sets out what a decision given under section 37G and the notification of the decision shall state. There is a good deal of precision in this regard. I share and have foreseen the Senator's views on this, as is evident from the Bill.

There is a specific requirement to have consultation with local authorities in the area in which a proposed development takes place. If this Bill is passed, the manager will have to consult the members before submitting the report to the board. Any recommendations of the members must be attached to the report and highlighted separately. This arrangement is unique and Senators have welcomed it.

Under the new section 37G(2)(b), the board will be required to consider, inter alia, the provisions of any relevant development plan and regional planning guidelines in force. These documents represent the outcome of very substantial consultation with the public and a wide variety of interests in terms of proper planning and sustainable development. The provisions the Senator is anxious to include are explicit in the Bill.

The Senator did not touch upon the reference in the Bill to section 37E(4). Arising from my examination of the amendment before the House, I am disposed to considering an element in this section on Report Stage. I ask the Senator not to press his amendment because, as it is worded, it does not add to the legislation. All the powers to which it refers are already included in different parts of the Bill.

I believe something further might be done regarding section 37E(4) in light of the specific reference to the planning authority report in section 37G(2)(a). This is highly technical but I might consider making a further provision in this regard. When one is talking about section 37G(2)(a) in conjunction with 37E(4), one could be forgiven for not having the exact meaning at one's fingertips. I would be prepared to write a note to the Senator indicating my import so he could consider the matter in advance of Report Stage. It would be helpful if I did so and I am always helpful.