Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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242. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if discussions undertaken by An Bord Pleanála in assessing an appeal are minuted; and if such minutes are subject to Freedom Of Information access; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10867/15]

Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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An Bord Pleanála is required by section 34(10) of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, as amended, to state the main reasons and considerations on which its decisions on planning appeals are based, including reasons for the imposition of any conditions. An Bord Pleanála is required to also indicate the main reasons for not accepting any recommendation to grant/refuse permission by an inspector engaged by it to report on a planning case. An Bord Pleanála has advised my Department that the main reasons and considerations, referred to above, are stated on the face of the Board decision order in each case and also on the Board direction sheet which precedes the making and signing of the formal Board order and records the outcome of the Board meeting at which the relevant case was discussed/decided. These documents are publicly available for inspection on the website of An Bord Pleanála and at its offices within 3 days following the making of the Board decision.

No record of the discussions of An Bord Pleanála at a meeting at which cases are decided, other than the above Direction sheet and Decision Order, are made. An Bord Pleanála does however produce a minuted record of the attendees and the cases discussed at each of its meetings and in relation to each case so discussed this minute also records the nature of the substantive decision made in relation to each case discussed at that meeting. This minute is made available by An Bord Pleanála on request.