Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 22: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to introduce legislation to make the planning process more user friendly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9419/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has completed a comprehensive review of the part of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 which set out the detailed rules, requirements and procedures for the planning application process. I intend to publish new regulations shortly.

The purpose of the new regulations is to remove unnecessarily bureaucratic and administrative obstacles to people using the system, to minimise any problems with the planning system and to produce a more uniform planning application procedure throughout the country. In particular, the regulations will introduce a standardised application form to be used by all planning authorities to bring greater clarity to the system.

My Department also published draft Development Management Guidelines for Planning Authorities in November 2005. The guidelines are intended to assist planning authorities and other stakeholders in dealing with the planning application process. The guidelines are a step-by-step guide to all stages of the process from pre-application consultation through validating a planning application, processing a planning application, to deciding a planning application, formulating planning conditions, and enforcing planning decisions and conditions. The guidelines are intended to promote best practice in the processing of planning applications and have a strong customer service focus. The consultation period for the guidelines will end shortly, and I intend to publish finalised guidelines before the end of the year.

I would also add that planning authorities are committed to improving the planning service on an ongoing basis and that many have made great strides, for instance, in the use of their websites to provide information about the planning service. I consider that the new Planning and Development Regulations and the development management guidelines will assist the planning authorities in providing an improved and more user-friendly planning service.