Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

This is a question of variations and the scenario where an issue has arisen. It may be the view of the local authority and its members that to a very large degree they are very happy to have an extension of the current plan pending the full creation of a new plan. However, a specific area of concern may have arisen from the appropriate assessment, the strategic environmental assessment or the environmental report. It may be as simple as a specific site in which it is felt that concerns have arisen over a specific form of development. I mentioned data centres earlier. There may be a different perspective coming now from the energy regulator or others. There are many such examples. It is around a specific provision. This is suggesting that a variation is quite a long process. The Minister of State mentioned earlier that the goal is not to open up plans for many different variations and changes for a period of just one year. Nobody wants that. I am trying to provide that there may be a very limited variation which I would describe as a precautionary variation. One might choose to continue with the existing plan in recognition of the delays caused by Covid-19 in producing a full new comprehensive plan with everything that entails, but I suggest it should be possible to apply a precautionary principle with regard to specific concerns that may have been identified through environmental assessment or appropriate assessment. I think it is quite a measured proposal. It is a slightly different variation. There is some provision in the Bill for narrower versions of variations. At the moment, under section 13 of the existing Act, it is called the modification of a variation. This is almost trying to apply that same narrow parameter where we are not doing something wild or excessive. We are not talking about massive rezonings - we are almost pressing pause on certain matters for that period of extension. This might be a useful tool within the suite of tools in the section on variations in the existing Act.