Brendan Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the number of planning appeals to An Bord Pleanala that were refused against the recommendation of the Board's own Inspector, for the Fingal region from January 2011 until 4 April 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16981/13]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Statistics in relation to the percentage of cases where the Board have reversed the recommendation of the Inspector are available in the Board’s annual reports, available at .

In considering an appeal, 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 Acts 2000 - 2012, the Board must also give the reasons for their decisions and must specify the various reasons for not accepting the Inspector's recommendations. I am satisfied that the Board operates these provisions with appropriate transparency, for example through the publication of Inspectors’ reports and Board’s decisions on its website and the publication of well documented annual reports.