Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 417: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the progress that has been made in the establishment of a planning aid service as set down in programme for Government. [22891/10]

Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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The Planning Acts and associated Regulations provide for extensive consultation in relation to development at all stages of the planning process. It is a requirement that a valid application for planning permission must be advertised by site notice and newspaper notice. The site notice and newspaper notice must state that the planning application may be inspected or purchased at the offices of the planning authority, and that submissions or observations in relation to the application may be made to the authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee within the 5 week period beginning on the date of the receipt by the planning authority of the application. A newspaper notice of the proposed development must be published in an approved local or national newspaper.

The Planning and Development Act 2000 and the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 provided increased rights for third parties in the planning process. 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; · any appeal against the decision of the planning authority.

Increasingly, planning authorities are making information relating to planning applications, submissions and observations available on their websites. Furthermore, most planning authorities have guidance available on their websites advising the public on how to go about making a submission or observation. In addition, the Department has provided funding in 2007, 2008 and 2009 to assist An Taisce in facilitating public participation in forward planning and in carrying out research to support the preparation of submissions to Planning Authorities in relation to their Draft Development Plans, and to support the making of those submissions generally including attending associated meetings and hearings.

Since 2007, the Department has provided €210,000 to support this work and is currently reviewing the An Taisce 2010 planning fund application.