Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 200: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has plans to abolish charges to the public for making submissions and observations on planning applications to the local authorities and An Bord Pleanála; and if in the view of the important democratic role of representation of councillors and TDs he will also abolish these charges for public representatives and especially in view of the short time frame allowed for planning applications. [11087/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The €20 fee for making a submission on a planning application was introduced in the context of the comprehensive review of planning legislation which culminated in the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the Planning and Development Regulations 2001. The fee was introduced in tandem with the increased rights for third parties in the planning process under the revised legislation. Since the enactment of the 2000 Act planning authorities are statutorily obliged to acknowledge submissions on planning applications and to consider those submissions before making decisions on planning applications. Persons who make submissions are also entitled to be notified of: any new information provided; the decision of the planning authority; an appeal against the decision of the planning authority.

Many submissions by elected representatives on planning applications are simply queries on the position of an application, requests that the processing of applications be speeded up, or general support for an application or for the comments made by another person. A fee does 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.

My Department is currently examining the costs of the planning service with a view to reviewing the Regulations relating to planning application fees in the context of improving further service delivery. Any proposed changes to the current fees structure, including the fee for making a submission on an application, will require the endorsement of the Oireachtas.