Written answers

Tuesday, 27 May 2008

Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government

Planning Issues

9:00 pm

Photo of Michael McGrathMichael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 447: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if, under existing planning legislation, all documents in relation to a planning application must be placed on the planning file available for public inspection; and his views on whether such provision is being complied with by local authorities at present. [20734/08]

Photo of John GormleyJohn Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Section 38 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 requires the planning authority, within 3 working days of a decision on a planning application, to make the following documents available for inspection and purchase by members of the public, for a period of not less than 7 years after the making of the decision, during office hours at the offices of the authority: (a) a copy of the planning application and of any particulars, evidence, environmental impact statement, other written study or further information received or obtained by the authority from the applicant in accordance with regulations under the Act; (b) a copy of any submissions or observations in relation to the planning application which have been received by the authority; (c) a copy of any report prepared by or for the authority in relation to the planning application; (d) a copy of the decision of the authority in respect of the planning application and a copy of the notification of the decision given to the applicant; and (e) a copy of any documents relating to a contribution or other matter referred to in section 34(5).

Any document referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) above which is received or obtained by a planning authority must be made available for inspection and purchase by members of the public at the office hours of the authority from as soon as may be after receipt of the document until a decision is made on the application.

My Department issued Development Management Guidelines to planning authorities in June 2007, which are a step by step guide to all stages of the planning application process. These guidelines emphasise the importance of the availability of an up to date copy of the planning application file for inspection at the public office at all times when the office is open. A copy of the guidelines is available on my Department's website at www.environ.ie.

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