Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

We discussed this issue at length in the House and on Committee Stage in the Dáil. I introduced a number of amendments to amend the list of issues to ensure consistency throughout the Bill, and consistency between the Bill and the 2000 Act. Section 143 of the Act, which is being amended by this Bill, contains a broad list of issues to be considered when making decisions. These include ministerial and Government policy, the national interest, any effect that the performance the board's functions may have on issues of strategic or social importance to the State, the national spatial strategy and regional guidelines.

Instead of referring in a number of places to the national interest and other considerations, the wording of the Bill has been amended in the relevant section to refer to the considerations which were already set out and are law in section 143. This should help to avoid unnecessary confusion or problems for the board. The change also has the advantage of ensuring the board will consider any effect the performance of the board's functions may have on issues of strategic economic and social importance, as required in section 143. That is appropriate and necessary in the case of strategically important infrastructural decisions taken by the board, which can have an impact for generations. This is to ensure consistency between the primary Act and the new Bill.