Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael)

The explanatory memorandum states:

Section 21 provides for the extension of cost recovery to pre-application, scoping requests for Environmental Impact Assessment for strategic infrastructure development cases under the Seventh Schedule of the Principal Act in addition to cost recovery for cases that proceed to full application and determination by An Bord Pleanála.

I have some views on this which I will offer to the House, but I am interested to hear an explanation of this matter from the Minister of State, as well as what his intentions are for this section. It seems to be an entirely new departure in the planning process to recover costs incurred in planning applications. I would like to hear what the Minister of State has to say on it and I will come back in later.