Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

I join Senator Coffey in asking the Leader for a debate on An Bord Pleanála. I have been involved with residents in many appeals against Cork City Council and County Council that went to An Bord Pleanála. Senator Coffey is right. We must have confidence in the planning process and when that process does not seem to be objective, seems biased or partial question marks pertain. I have serious reservations about the role of An Bord Pleanála. How can it be that if a Bord Pleanála inspector makes a ruling, be it yea or nay, the board of that body can overturn it? I cannot get an answer. Perhaps the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, might give the answer.

We must have full confidence in the planning process. Unfortunately, in many communities, urban and rural, confidence in An Bord Pleanála and the planning process per se is at an all-time low. It must be restored. We criticised councillors and councils for their role but they were accountable and answerable. An Bord Pleanála is not answerable to anybody and it should be. The House must invite the Minister to discuss this as a matter of urgency. If necessary, as Senator Bacik suggested, let us bring the officers of An Bord Pleanála to this Chamber. That would make us more relevant to ordinary people. Every week of the year each one of us receives representations regarding the planning process.

We need a debate on job creation. The presence of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Coughlan, has been sadly lacking from this Chamber regarding discussion on job creation and retention. Hundreds of thousands of people are unemployed. People are starved of hope by the Government. They want to see a job policy. As Senator Donohoe stated, there is a National Jobs Council which is a folly and a complete joke. Perhaps we might put those two issues on the agenda over the coming weeks because they are of grave importance.