Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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391. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if a decision has been made on a developer-provided infrastructure application for an estate (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14818/20]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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In July 2019, my Department launched the multi-annual Developer-Provided Water Services Infrastructure Resolution Programme 2019-2021. Bids were sought from local authorities for funding under the programme and nineteen local authorities with Developer-Provided Water Services Infrastructure in estates in their areas made applications for funding. Kerry County Council included the estate referred to in its application.

My Department has completed a preliminary evaluation and clarification process on the bids received from the local authorities. An Expert Panel, which includes Departmental, stakeholder and independent representation, has been appointed to examine the bids. The Panel has held a number of meetings to date.

I expect that the Expert Panel will make recommendations to me shortly on the suitability of projects for funding under the programme. This will be based on criteria set out in the Framework document issued to local authorities when requesting proposals. It is expected that an announcement on approvals and allocations will be made once that process is concluded in the coming weeks.

Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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392. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to positively change planning legislation in the months ahead. [14912/20]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government – Our Shared Future (2020), identifies the following specific legislative reforms in the wider planning area:

- drafting a General Scheme of a new Planning and Development Bill providing for the introduction of a ‘use it or lose it’ condition for all planning applications of ten housing units or more;

- review and reform the judicial review process so that such reforms come into effect upon the establishment of the Environmental and Planning Law Court, while also adhering to our EU law obligations under the Aarhus Convention;

- progression of the development of primary legislation in relation to the Land Development Agency; and

- drafting the Marine Planning and Development Management Bill, which will introduce a new marine planning regime to replace the existing State and development consent regimes in the marine area and streamline arrangements on the basis of a single consent principle.

The progression of these legislative proposals will be considered as part of the development of the Government's legislative programme.