Emer Currie (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Of course he was okay. I have one or two points to make. It would be a good idea to establish guidance on best practice for running public meetings online and for online consultations. I appreciate the speed at which things have changed but how things have been handled has varied dramatically between different local authorities and the National Transport Authority, NTA. We have had some experience with Iarnród Éireann in this regard. It is important that a review of what has worked and what has not be carried out urgently so that we can establish what is best practice from the start. People were trying to cope and, in some cases, it did not work out very well. In the case of Iarnród Éireann's consultation, it was left to communities to figure out some very technical information for themselves in the middle of level 3 restrictions. That caused a great amount of stress. If public meetings are held on matters that really affect a community, there will be hundreds of people on the call. A consultative interactive process in which people feel like they are getting answers to their questions is required. This is really important. With regard to the Minister's modernisation agenda, a hybrid model is preferable if we are to ensure universal access.

I welcomed the Minister's announcement last week with regard to co-living. A suburban cul-de-sac in Castleknock was never the place for co-living. That application is with An Bord Pleanála. I hope the board listens to its inspector and the Fingal County Council planners in that regard.