Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 26:

In page 16, between lines 27 and 28, to insert the following: “Insertion of section 247A into Principal Act 16. The Principal Act is amended by the insertion of the following section after section 247:

“247A.With regard to a development to which section 32A(1) relates—

(a) the planning authority shall convene a final consultation meeting within four weeks of receipt of the prospective applicant’s request, to be attended by the planning authority, the prospective applicant or his/her representative, or both, and planning authority officials who have sufficient level of relevant knowledge and expertise in the matter concerned and members of the public, who may subsequently submit observations to the planning authority within two weeks,

(b) the planning authority on receipt of the request, may issue the documentation received, or parts thereof, to any relevant prescribed bodies that in the opinion of the planning authority may have relevant observations in relation to the proposed development including relevant Community organisations,

(c) the failure of a prescribed body to respond to a request under paragraph (b) shall not prevent the planning authority from proceeding under section 247A to deal with the request concerned,

(d) the planning authority shall be required, within six weeks of the holding of the final consultation meeting, to form, and issue to the prospective applicant, and other relevant prescribed bodies, an opinion as to whether the documents submitted for the final consultation meeting constitute a reasonable basis for making an application for permission for the proposed development.”.