Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)

On a point of clarification, nothing is being rushed through. We have been here for the past number of hours and have had an excellent debate on all of the groupings. If somebody missed a grouping, perhaps that person should take closer cognisance of what is going on in the House.

I would like the Minister of State to clarify something relating to the planning process. Councils are obliged to make a decision on a planning application within a two-month period. However, there is no statutory obligation on An Bord Pleanála to make a decision within a certain time and as a result it can take up to a year or longer for it to make a decision. In these economically dismal times, it is important that An Bord Pleanála is statutorily obliged to work within a specific timeframe and provide quicker decisions. Will the Minister of State address this point?