Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for the reply but it has only caused more confusion. I was involved in putting through three county development plans. I refer the House to the expression "Don't teach your mother to suck eggs". The reality is that this reply has caused more confusion. I was hoping it would provide clarity in regard to this matter.

The reply confirms that there are two processes including the county development plan process of ten weeks after the draft is published. In the case of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, it has only eight weeks, not ten weeks. The legislation states ten weeks. If a county council has only eight weeks of public consultation, it falls short of the statutory process and, therefore, it cannot consider submissions. If it operates on the basis of a variation, as confirmed in the reply there is a statutory obligation of four weeks. There are two different strands of timeframe for the public consultation.

It is a difficult and complex issue. We need greater clarity on it. Following on from the Minister of State's reply I am none the wiser as to what is going to happen. People have contacted me. The elected members of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council have been told by the executive that there can be no further consideration of buildings under the record of protected structures during the lifetime of this plan and that it is a development plan process only. I am saying, and the Minister of State has confirmed - Galway County Council is doing this, which is good news for the Minister of State - that it can happen at any time subject to the proper processes in terms of a variation and, most important, the public consultation, which is two-way with the owners of the properties and the other people involved.

I thank the Minister of State for coming here to respond to this matter. As I said, it is a difficult one and I will follow up on it again with the Minister of State, Deputy Burke.