Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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609. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Questions No. 167 of 29 May 2013 and No. 183 of 30 May 2013, if he will confirm that, notwithstanding the creation of an Office of Planning Regulator, even the most egregious legacies of planning abuse and corruption from the period beginning with the effecting of the Planning Act 1963 up to the implementation of the Planning and Development Bill 2013 as an Act of the Oireachtas, are henceforth to have a status in law similar to what would obtain had each instance been granted a formal amnesty, even in instances where malfeasance misfeasance has been imputed by a Tribunal established by the Oireachtas; if he will confirm that the Planning Regulator and the State will take no further interest in the way the planning process which we now know to have been debased and corrupt allowed such excrescences in many instances into being; and if he will confirm that the State will take no further interest in the associated money trails; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27575/13]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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My replies to parliamentary questions Nos. 167 of 29 May 2013 and 183 of 30 May 2013 clearly set out the position in relation to the appeal of planning permissions granted by planning authorities and the role of An Bord Pleanála in ensuring that decisions on appeal respect the principles of proper planning and sustainable development. It may not be legally or constitutionally feasible to provide a power to the Office of the Planning Regulator to re-open historical planning decisions.

The Final Report of the Mahon Planning Tribunal revealed a number of instances in which the planning system failed to uphold the principles of proper planning and sustainable development. The Government has made clear its commitment to responding comprehensively to the Tribunal’s recommendations, including, most notably, by establishing an independent planning regulator. While the work of the Tribunal is now at an end the Government is committed to continuing to reform our planning system in order to restore and maintain public confidence and ensure that the principles of proper planning and sustainable development are fully respected. In relation to the Deputy’s reference to money trails I would draw the Deputy’s notice to the most recent published report of the Revenue Commissioners which, in dealing with Special Investigations, records that to date €43 million has been secured in relation to the Moriarty/Mahon Tribunals.