Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

My officials and I will be pleased to engage with Senator Humphreys on this issue. While we have discussed the matter already, we will be happy to discuss it further. We recognise what the Senator is trying to achieve with his amendment in providing for a new mechanism. We may bring the Minister of State, Deputy John Paul Phelan, into the conversation because the issue straddles two sides of the Department. Given that various proposals are being developed and discussed with a view to bringing them to Government, this is an opportune time to have a conversation on this issue. We will engage before Report Stage and I will examine the matter again in that context. I recognise that the Senator is genuinely seeking to address a problem. However, the issue is one of finding the right mechanism and providing for it in the right place, which is what we will do.

To respond to Senator Murnane O'Connor, we all recognise the role councillors have in this area. Councillors were very much involved at various levels and we met them. They are the ultimate decision makers on local development plans and are also involved in regional and national development plans. They make the final decisions and must face the people before Members of the Oireachtas do so. Most of us were councillors at some point and will have engaged in the process of drawing up a development plan. I played a serious role in this matter and enjoyed it. This does not mean we do everything perfectly but we try to do what is right. The best planning is to have councillors make an input to local development plans and at regional and national level, working with expertise in planning departments. The legislation provides for a balanced and transparent planning process. The end result should be top class planning backed up by investment from taxpayers.