Seanad debates

Wednesday, 25 November 2020

Planning and Development Bill 2020: Second Stage

 

10:30 am

Photo of Martin ConwayMartin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I very much look forward to what he will achieve. I know of his dogged determination and he will deliver.

I echo what Senator Cummins said about this legislation. It is essential to continue the important work of local government and the process of passing county development plans. The pandemic has changed how we do business in the country. The Bill enables local authorities who are going through the development plan process to continue holding their public engagements, which they are statutorily obliged to do while using modern technology. When the legislation that preceded this was introduced, everyone was able to hold public meetings; it was not an issue. Nobody envisaged a situation where we would not be able to hold public meetings, public consultation processes and so on for development plans.

Along with others, I really encourage the public to engage more with their county development plans. In my county, Clare, submissions for the latest county development plan closed on Monday. It is a plan that will follow through on a number of steps. I encourage people who are watching today's debate to read the development plan and make their views known to the local authority and to their councillors. We need people to engage more in the process and share their views, experience and knowledge bearing in mind that many people living in County Clare, as in other counties, have travelled the world and seen good ideas abroad. We want to draw on those good ideas and suggestions to feed into what is the bible in planning and development for the coming years in our county, as it is in every other county.

On the principle of encouraging people to participate more in county development plans, the Minister should consider embracing modern technology. Sadly, in my view, social media is probably viewed more than local newspapers, and observed and listened to more than local radio stations. I do not know whether it is good for democracy, but it is not going to change, and we are where we are. As with other aspects of life, county development plans need to embrace that modern technology to try to reach a bigger audience and elicit the views of many more people. This legislation is important because it broadens the toolkit of local authorities to do that. It allows us to live with Covid - that awful phrase. It allows local authorities to continue with their development plans. It gives the Minister the flexibility to be flexible during this crisis.

I wish the Minister the very best of luck. I know he will initiate many Bills in this House because he knows the value of the House.

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