Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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156. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will report on the progress that has been made in tackling ongoing delays in planning applications for critical infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12054/22]

Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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179. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will report on the progress to tackle excessive delays in planning applications for critical infrastructure [12142/22]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 156 and 179 together.

Under Section 37J of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act), An Bord Pleanala has an objective to make decisions on planning applications for strategic infrastructure development within a period of 18 weeks, beginning on the last day for making submissions or observations.

Where the Board does not consider it possible or appropriate to reach a decision within that timeframe (e.g. because of the particular complexities of a case or the requirement to hold an oral hearing), it will inform the parties of the reasons for this, and will indicate when it intends to make its decision. The Board shall take all such steps as are open to it to ensure that the appeal is determined before the date specified in the notice.

My Department and the Board have a performance delivery agreement which is reviewed annually with a view to ensuring that Board decisions are delivered in a timely manner, including that a specified percentage of decisions are made within the “statutory objective period” timelines set in the Planning and Development Act. My Department will continue to monitor the Board's performance in this regard and engage proactively as required.