Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Amendment No. 151 seeks to remove the erroneous referral to “development plan” in subsection (4) of section 77. Regional, spatial and economic strategies take account of regional development, while development plans deal solely with the development within each local authority area. Following the completion of the assessment by the Office of the Planning Regulator, it shall make a recommendation and a statement of reasons to the Minister as to whether a draft direction under section 79 should be issued. The Minister shall consider the recommendation, statement of reasons and proposed terms for the draft direction and shall make a decision as to whether to accept the recommendation of the office. Where the Minister decides that a draft direction should be issued under section 79, he or she shall direct the office to do so. Subsection (13) sets out the arrangements where the Minister decides that a draft direction should not be issued.

Amendment No. 153 seeks to insert into this provision “and his or her reasons for deciding that a draft direction should not be issued” in order to provide the OPR with the rationale behind the Minister’s decision not to issue a draft direction.

Amendment No. 155 is a technical amendment and seeks to correct the current wording “Before issuing a draft direction”. Under this and all provisions, the Minister issues the final direction, not a draft direction, which would be delivered by the Office of the Planning Regulator.