Pat Casey (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for the clarification. It is good news that the waiver will be available for the 2022 budgetary process. Nevertheless, on top of what he outlined, there needs to be education for councillors as to what they can and cannot do in respect of the process. The ones I have spoken to were not fully aware of section 15 and the power it gives them. Even if that process could be rolled out with each local authority to advise members what they are entitled to do in the county development plan process, that would be welcome. As we all know, it will take a while to get through the county development plan, and it is hoped the direct impact of this, as the Minister of State noted, will be available to the budgetary process in 2022. The Department might engage with local authority members and give them clear directions on what their powers are in this process, informing them that they should be able to avail of this waiver in the 2022 budgetary process, which is a year from today.