Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 474: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of planning applications received under the strategic infrastructural deficient category since the activation of the relevant legislation; the number referred to the local authorities for decision; the outcome of the decision in such cases; the number decided by An Bord Pleanála with and without oral hearings; the number granted, refused or pending; the number granted or refused by the board; the number pending; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41643/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I assume that the question refers to planning applications submitted to An Bord Pleanála in respect of development specified in the Seventh Schedule of the Planning and Development Act 2000.

The Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Act 2006, which came into operation in January 2007, amended the 2000 Act to provide for a streamlined, single-stage consent process for certain classes of nationally important infrastructural development undertaken by statutory bodies and private promoters. These include heavy and light rail and metro, other infrastructure requiring environmental impact assessments such as significant airport or port developments, waste infrastructure, and major energy infrastructure such as electricity transmission lines, strategic upstream and downstream gas pipelines, liquefied natural gas facilities, oil refineries and large onshore wind farms.

Since January 2007 the Board has received 19 applications for development consent in respect of strategic infrastructure projects. Of these 8 have been determined, in each case following an oral hearing. Consent was granted in 6 cases and refused in 1 case; 1 application was withdrawn.

General information on the Board's workload and performance including the number of appeals referred to it and cases determined is available in their 2007 Annual Report, a copy of which is available on their website www.pleanala.ie.