Niall Ó Brolcháin (Green Party)

I join Senator Coghlan in calling for a debate on planning. The Planning and Development Bill will come before us in the not too distant future. Senator Coghlan spoke about the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government carrying out a study of particular local authorities, including Galway County Council. I understand it is based on the empirical evidence of planning decisions approved by local authorities but refused by An Bord Pleanála. The councils selected have particularly high incidences of refusals by An Bord Pleanála after they had granted planning permission. The Minister is rightly looking at an independent expert review of these decisions. We need to get planning right and the Planning and Development Bill will help to move things in the right direction. While we have consistent talk about the banks, people seem to be very reluctant to talk about planning issues. Planning is as much a part of the difficulties as the banking crisis. If we do not get it right, we will face another problem in future. It is important that all parties in the House look carefully at the planning process, get to understand the difficulties in the issue and accept that there are such difficulties, particularly with regard to community facilities, schools and other matters.

I refute the argument made by Senator Bacik that Green Party Members are either lap-dogs or lap dancers. We are standing tall-----