Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator. In her opening remarks, I think she said there was a live application and that this has gone in. In the remarks I delivered on behalf of the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, he has been clear about what he has done. He has engaged with all the local authorities and made it clear to them what he has set out. Without complete and utter interference, he has been clear about what is laid out in the context of the local authorities. While this is a live application, I assume that the planner looking at it, whomever it is, will also be alert to what came into being when the Act commenced in July 2022 bears relevance to the Bessborough site, as it does to other sites as well. In fairness to the Minister, he has engaged with the local authorities. We can see as well how various other Ministers have written to the local authorities. I ask again that the officials in the local authorities read that circular and be familiar with it when they are making decisions.