Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 563: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the average time it takes to process an appeal through An Bord Pleanála; the number of appeals processed by the board each year since 2000 to date in 2008; if there are staff and resource shortages at An Bord Pleanála; if he will allocate additional staff and expertise resources from his Department to An Bord Pleanála; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25378/08]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 569: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the delays in An Bord Pleanála and the frequency at which many appeals are extended beyond their due date and the costs and other consequences which this is leading to; and if he will make immediate arrangements to ensure that all appeals are dealt with within an appropriate timeframe in view of the downturn in the construction industry. [25504/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 563 and 569 together.

Under Section 126 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, An Bord Pleanalá has a statutory objective to determine appeals within 18 weeks. Where the Board does not consider it possible or appropriate to reach a decision within 18 weeks (e.g. because of delays arising from the holding of an oral hearing), it will inform the parties of the reasons for this, and will indicate when it intends to make its decision.

The position in relation to appeals received by An Bord Pleanalá in the period since 2000 is set out in the following table.

The performance of the Board must be viewed in the context of record levels of case intake over successive years 2004-2007 and the assumption, with effect from 31 January 2007, of significant new functions under the Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Act 2006.

The intake of new appeal cases in 2007 increased by over 12% compared to 2006. Notwithstanding a nearly 10% increase in cases determined, this resulted in a significant rise in the workload in hand at the end of the year, and a deterioration in performance in relation to the timeliness of decision making.

During 2007, the Board received 74 consultation requests and 33 planning applications regarding proposed strategic infrastructure in the transport, energy and environment areas.

In recognition of the key role the Board plays in relation to delivery of local and national infrastructure, the demands arising from sustained record levels of appeals over recent years and the implementation of the 2006 Act, sanction was given in 2007 for a considerable increase in the Board's staffing resources. The total authorized staff complement has increased by 26% to 172, while Board membership rose from 10 to 11 with the appointment of an additional temporary Board member.

The Board has expressed confidence that with a lower intake of cases this year, the increased resources made available and other measures to improve productivity, considerable progress will be made over 2008 towards achieving the strategic target of determining appeal cases within an 18-week period.