Paddy Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is a weakness in the case for such arrangements. I would be wary that it might put members under stress and lead to corruption or whatever else.

The members of An Bord Pleanála are well paid, as Senator Boyhan said. At every meeting, the question should be asked as to whether members have a vested interest in the cases being dealt with. They should have to sign a declaration before every meeting stating they have no vested interest in the particular files being considered. There is a lot at stake here. People can be vulnerable. As we know, people can be got to in lots of ways. There should be a system in place whereby all boards members, or whoever is dealing with the planning applications, are required, at every meeting, to sign off on their having no vested interest in respect of the files they are considering. If a person does have an interest in a matter or knows somebody involved in it, he or she should leave the meeting, indicating why, and that should be recorded.

I wish the Minister of State well with the Bill. It is about getting the houses built that are badly needed.