Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Question 88: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he intends amending section 246(b) of the Planning Act 2000 which requires that public representatives pay a fee of €20 in respect of a submission made on a planning application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29052/07]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Article 168 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 requires a fee of €20 to be paid to a planning authority by a person or body making a submission or observation to the authority regarding an application for permission. The primary purpose of the fee is to contribute towards the enhanced service provided by planning authorities to persons who make formal submissions.

Many submissions by elected representatives on planning applications are queries on the up to date position on an application, requests that the processing of applications be dealt with promptly, or more general support for an application or for the comments made by another person. In general, a fee would not have to be paid for these types of submissions, which add no substantive matter for consideration by the planning authority.

However, where a public representative makes a formal submission, such as elaborating on the grounds of an application or an objection to an application, the submission cannot be considered by the planning authority unless it is accompanied by the appropriate fee.