Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 28:

In page 33, to delete lines 3 to 38.

This was debated at length on Committee Stage and many Senators spoke on it. We are opposed to the reduction of a quorum of An Bord Pleanála from three to two. There is no reason for this change. The rationale given by the Minister of State previously was that the workload of the board required the quorum to be revised downwards to allow more efficiency and throughput in appeals. A quorum of two is a very strange proposal as deadlock can arise in such situations and in that case it will be referred to a quorum of three in any event. We do not see the reason for the requirement as it gives more power to individual members of the board and I have outlined difficulties that have come to light recently with regard to An Bord Pleanála and accountability of decisions within that structure. I urged a review and a reform of An Bord Pleanála but that is for another day. I ask the Minister of State to consider this view. We do not see the reason for this proposal to reduce the quorum in An Bord Pleanála from three to two.