Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)

I welcome the provision in the section for local authority members to make a submission to the Minister when he has issued a direction to the local authority in respect of its development plan. He has, however, taken on a serious power. He has the ultimate power in the adoption of a county development plan because if there are aspects of it that he does not like he can change the plan. Even if the local authority members make a further submission to the Minister's intervention he still has the whip hand to make whatever direction, and put into law, whatever he feels necessary.

We have seen the powers that some Ministers for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government have taken on themselves. The Minister has the ultimate power here and while I do not fully agree with it I welcome the provision that local authority members can make a submission to the Minister on his intervention in a plan.