Denis Landy (Labour) | Oireachtas source

Fifty next year. Okay. Let us say two per local authority. Why can these not be dealt with by one or two specialist members of staff within the local authority? In that way, we could forget about this whole process of fast-tracking through An Bord Pleanála. The evidence that the Minister has provided needs further scoping. I will not say that it does not stand up because that would not be fair. However, it needs further scoping to stand up. Secondly, I believe that this job can be done at local authority level without having to set up this new structure and without the impression being given, correctly or otherwise, to the general public and to counsellors that in some way democracy is going to be affected by this move. I am prepared today to grant the Minister to introduce an amendment to deal with those issues on Report Stage. If the matter is put to a vote by other people, I will have to make my decision at that stage on my opposition to this.I want to be helpful here. Senator Boyhan stated this is the place to tease it out. That is what we are here for. I will leave it at that.