Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 55: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the percentage of decisions by An Bord Pleanála in cases in which the Bord overrules its own inspectors' planning report for each year since 2000; and if he will require greater transparency from the Bord to explain all the reasons supporting the Bord's decision. [16606/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Since the establishment of An Bord Pleanála in 1977, planning legislation has clearly assigned final responsibility for decisions on planning appeals to the Board and not to inspectors making reports and recommendations to the Board.

The details sought in the Question are set out in the table.

The figures in column 3 refer only to cases where the Board reversed the recommendation of the Inspector. They do not include the cases where the Board amended the Inspector's recommendation by attaching, deleting or amending conditions or reasons for decisions.

In considering an appeal, the Board must consider all submissions on the file, together with their own inspector's report and recommendation, and reach their own conclusion on the matter in line with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area. If they do not follow the recommendations of the inspector, the Board must be satisfied that the facts of the case support their decision. Under the Planning and Development Act 2000, the Board must also give the reasons for their decisions and must specify the various reasons for not accepting the Inspector's recommendations.

I am satisfied that the Board operates these provisions with appropriate transparency, for example, through the publication of Inspectors' reports and Boards decisions on its website and the publication of well documented annual reports.

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 56: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on whether land is being hoarded in the greater Dublin area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16588/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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In 2003, consultants engaged by my Department carried out a study that, among other things, considered factors affecting the supply of land to the housing market, including the possible hoarding of building land. The study considered previous analyses of the housing and land markets, and sought possible evidence of hoarding, based on case studies of three areas, including Fingal and Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown. The consultants concluded that there was no evidence at the time that hoarding of land was a widespread problem or that there were excessive levels of land banking.

There were over 18,000 housing completions in Dublin in 2005, and almost 28,000 completions in the Greater Dublin area incorporating Kildare, Meath and Wicklow. These figures suggest that the supply of new housing in the Greater Dublin Area has reached satisfactory levels and is functioning appropriately.