James Bannon (Fine Gael)

Certainly. The Minister referred to the regional planning guidelines and I ask him to review those guidelines over the summer because they are not working. He must contact all of the local authorities in the State to determine how they are implementing the guidelines because there is an enormous variation between one local authority and another. When one is in a constituency that crosses two counties, one gets a flavour of what is happening in two different authorities. Many unfair decisions are being made in one county. It is easier to get planning permission in one county than in the other. This should be rectified.

We should have a uniform system of planning throughout the country. That is not the case at present and it must be addressed, particularly with regard to once-off dwellings and farmhouse developments such as slatted houses. I have seen situations where people are trying to comply with planning legislation passed in these Houses but they are not being facilitated by local planners. This issue that needs to be addressed.

On the issue of major infrastructural projects, many farmers are now developing quarries. Quarries are valuable assets for farmers to have on their lands. Farmers may apply to their local authority for planning permission to develop the quarry and extract the quarry stone and if the decision on the application is appealed to An Bord Pleanála, it may refuse planning permission for such development. This has been the experience of constituents of mine in counties Longford and Westmeath. It has also been the experience of farmers in other parts of the country. Therefore, this matter needs to be seriously examined and addressed. I hope I will have an opportunity to speak on other amendments. However, the issues I outlined need to be addressed urgently.

We have been criticised for our inability to deliver projects on time and within budget. The Minister's portfolio does not extend to the area of transport.