Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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232. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 362 of 28 September 2021, the status of the review of the position in relation to the filling of the post of the chief executive of Galway County Council on a permanent basis; when the review will be completed; the person or body that is carrying out the review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58061/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I refer to Parliamentary Question 356 of 2 November 2021. The position is unchanged. It is my intention to review the position in relation to the filling of the post of the chief executive of Galway County Council on a permanent basis before the end of the year.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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233. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 364 of 28 September 2021, the status of the review by the Office of the Planning Regulator of Galway City Council; when the review will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58062/21]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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One of the Office of the Planning Regulator’s (OPR) core statutory functions is to conduct reviews of systems and procedures used by local authorities and An Bord Pleanála in the delivery of their planning functions. In this regard the OPR is implementing a programme of reviews under section 31AS of the Planning & Development Act 2000, as amended, whereby each authority in turn will benefit from a review, broadly over a six-year cycle.

The OPR initiated the pilot phase of its reviews programme in late 2020, selecting four authorities for inclusion on the basis of the variety of characteristics, in terms of location, scale, urban / rural settings, etc., across these authorities. The blend of planning contexts offers a good basis for the OPR to test its methodology for conducting reviews and to further inform subsequent phases of the reviews programme.

Galway City Council is included in the pilot phase of the programme, and I understand that the OPR is close to completing the draft report in relation to the general review of Galway City planning functions. In line with the statutory procedure, in the first instance, the draft report will be circulated to both Galway City Council and my Department for a consultation period before it is finalised and published.

It should be noted that arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address queries directly to the relevant bodies. The contact email address for the Office of the Planning Regulator is oireachtas@opr.ie.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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234. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 363 of 28 September 2021, the local authorities that will be reviewed in 2022 by the Office of the Planning Regulator; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58063/21]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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My Department has no role with regard to the selection of authorities to be included in the Office of the Planning Regulator's (OPR) programme of general reviews. This is entirely a matter for the OPR, who, in scheduling subsequent phases of the reviews programme, will continue to ensure that a good geographic spread and balance of authorities with varying planning contexts are included. However, in order to be of assistance, I have made enquiries on behalf of the Deputy and I understand that the OPR has yet to select the authorities to be reviewed in 2022 and beyond.

It should be noted that arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address queries directly to the relevant bodies. The contact email address for the Office of the Planning Regulator is oireachtas@opr.ie.