Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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331. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the consideration he has given to the difficulty faced by councillors faced with county and city plans, many of them running to thousands of pages including back-up documents, in dealing with them through virtual meetings within very tight timeframes; if he plans to take action to allow more time for them to consider these plans fully given that they will have a major bearing on the future of their local authority areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23258/21]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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The current circumstances have presented challenges which have required us to examine how essential work in the planning domain can advance in a safe manner. My Department is particularly mindful in this regard of the important role that the planning and development system plays in supporting the economic development of the country, and the vital role which it will play in supporting social and economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Planning has been classified as an “essential service” since 2020 and so the planning system has remained operational throughout 2021. My Department has been working closely with the City and County Management Association and the Local Government Management Agency, An Bord Pleanála and the Office of the Planning Regulator, in seeking to ensure that the planning system continues to operate effectively.

As part of the ongoing process of liaison it has become apparent that in some cases, it may be of benefit to enable the possibility of additional time for the consideration of city and county development plans. This would be to enable the plan preparation process to extend beyond the two year cut-off period specified in planning legislation.

I can confirm that Minister O'Brien and I have requested officials to draft legislative proposals that would give effect to the option of an additional period of up to six months, should that be required, for the completion of any city or development plan process that has either commenced or is underway during level 5 Covid restrictions. This would mean that any stage of ongoing development planning processes could benefit from additional time ranging from 1 day to six months, as required. Subject to Government approval, it is expected to bring proposals forward in the coming weeks, for as early enactment as possible.