Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael)

We are dictating planning policy from a regional point of view. I do not like to repeat myself but that is the way it is. We are dictating policy from the top down. This will have serious implications for local communities and how towns and villages develop. We need to know who makes the decision if a variation proposed by a local authority to the regional authority that has been proposed by the manager, executive and planners of the authority and approved by the elected members of the authority is found not to be consistent with the regional planning guidelines? Whether we like it or not, we are giving that power in the legislation to regional authorities. We need accountability in our planning decisions.

We will be talking later about An Bord Pleanála. I will discuss that in a more detailed fashion. We are removing another layer of accountability and pushing it out to the regions where a person from a small town or village will not have any recourse. That is the way we are going. It is a sad day that we are taking this approach. I accept improvements are needed in the planning process and that significant mistakes have been made. On behalf of Fine Gael I am the first to admit that. Such issues need to be addressed but I am not sure we are doing so in the correct manner. We are implementing a planning process that will be directed from Dublin and then from the regions where people in small towns and villages will have no say. That appears to be the motive behind the legislation. That becomes clearer as we scrutinise the Bill further.