Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 1496: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that An Bord Pleanála chose to ignore the recommendations of its own inspectors on more than 600 occasions in 2007, representing more than 13% of cases; his views on whether it is value for money to employ inspectors at great cost to the Exchequer when the board of An Bord Pleanála frequently choose to ignore this advice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31274/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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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.

In considering decisions on planning appeals, 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.

The Board operates these provisions with appropriate transparency, for example, through the publication of Inspectors' reports and Board decisions on its website and the publication of well-documented annual reports.