Ann Ormonde (Fianna Fail)

Regarding Senator Quinn's call for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to revisit the Planning and Development Act 2000 in view of the length of time it takes to deal with planning application, whole sections of the legislation should be revisited. When the planning division grants planning permission an objection may be lodged and the matter must be decided by An Bord Pleanála. There is no joined up thinking regarding the role of An Bord Pleanála. By the time a decision is made on the application, six months have passed. That should not happen and the entire Act should be revisited. It should be divided into sections because it is too clumsy and covers too much as it stands.