Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)

This grouping of five amendments relates to issues concerning An Bord Pleanála. They empower the Minister to appoint additional members urgently on a short-term basis to deal with areas of significant activity in the economy and empowers him to reduce membership where appropriate. We are also amending the principal Act, through section 106, to empower the Minister to appoint a person with satisfactory experience, competence or qualifications relevant to environmental sustainability issues to be an ordinary member of the board. That involves a consequential, technical amendment. We are also expanding the list of matters under the principal Act under which the board can determine and charge a fee.