Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

590. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if more resources will be allocated to An Bord Pleanála to deal with the increased workload arising from the transfer from local authorities to the board of planning functions in respect of larger scale residential development; if the impact of the additional workload on the board in respect of processing appeals before it has been assessed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31567/18]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 provides for new streamlined arrangements to enable planning applications for strategic housing developments, of 100 housing units or more or student accommodation developments of 200 bed spaces or more, to be made directly to An Bord Pleanála for determination within a period of 16 weeks of the lodging of the application.

Since the new arrangements came into operation, i.e. from 3 July 2017 up until end June 2018, the Board received 31 planning applications and has issued decisions in respect of 18 cases, all of which were made within the 16 week timeframe.

My Department liaises closely with An Bord Pleanála to ensure that it has appropriate resources in relation to the performance of its functions. In relation to the additional strategic housing developments functions, a new Strategic Housing Division of the Board was established to decide on these applications, involving the recruitment of an additional dedicated 10 professional and administrative staff members in 2017. Two additional Board members have also been sanctioned to serve this Division, with the appointments being made in February and June this year.

The Board now has a complement of 11 members and has over 150 staff employed. I am satisfied that the Board has sufficient and necessary resources to deliver effectively and efficiently on its important statutory mandate and functions.