Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for his intervention. This decision was taken during the Covid period. The Minister took the decision to allow five-year planning permissions to take their course and not extend them as has been done heretofore.

I will raise it. I understand the issue in terms of many one-off planning applicants in my constituency. Many of them were not fully aware of this when it came upon them. I have raised it in the Department because I was concerned about it. Unfortunately, at the moment I do not see an openness to change. I will raise it with the Minister again and invite the Senator to do so because it is difficult for young couples who are trying to grapple with inflationary pressures.

There is another side of the coin with these permissions. I have seen that one-offs can go on and on and not be delivered upon, unfortunately, due to different circumstances. I can see why the planning system wants to tidy things up but sometimes there are unintended consequences to bigger developments that can be felt locally.