Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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363. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if the Housing and Planning Development Bill 2019 is proceeding as part of the legislative agenda; if so, the proposed timelines involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36325/20]

Francis Noel Duffy (Dublin South West, Green Party)
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407. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when the housing and planning development Bill will be progressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37088/20]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 363 and 407 together.

The Programme for Government commits to the review and reform of the judicial review process so that such reforms come into effect upon the establishment of the proposed Environmental and Planning Law Court, while always adhering to EU law obligations under the Aarhus Convention.  The Housing and Planning and Development Bill 2019, the General Scheme for which was published in late 2019, contains, inter alia, a range of proposals in this regard.

The General Scheme of the Bill is reflected in the Government's Legislation Programme Autumn Session 2020, among the list of the General Schemes to undergo pre-legislative scrutiny.  No arrangements have been set as yet for pre-legislative scrutiny, but given the range of other legislation before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage this is not likely to arise until early 2021.