Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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44. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his plans for investigations into planning in six local authorities and County Donegal, arising from the June 2013 High Court case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15772/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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MacCabe Durney Barnes Consultants were appointed in February 2014 to carry out an independent planning review on the performance of planning functions in six selected planning authorities (Carlow, Cork, Galway and Meath County Councils and Cork and Dublin City Councils) in accordance with section 255 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended.  I expect to receive the final report from the consultants shortly and I subsequently intend to publish it having considered its contents.

I have also considered what next steps need to be taken in respect of certain Donegal County Council planning matters taking account of advice from the Office of the Attorney General. My Department will be shortly appointing a Senior Counsel nominated by the Attorney General to prepare a report in relation to these matters and I expect that the timeframe for this appointment will be finalised shortly.