Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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553. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of staff working in An Bord Pleanála in 2016; the number of staff working in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1586/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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An Bord Pleanála (the Board) is the national independent statutory body with responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and direct applications for strategic infrastructure and other developments under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and certain other Acts.

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 An Bord Pleanála in this regard is: Oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie

In order to be of assistance to the Deputy, my Department sought the information requested from the Board, who provided the following information in relation to staffing numbers (which includes Board members) at end of 2016 and to date in 2023:

In November 2022, following an updated assessment by the Board of resourcing issues likely to emerge as a result of planning applications for the National Development Plan and other infrastructure projects, the Boards new marine functions, as well as a number of senior positions approved under the Action Plan for An Bord Pleanála, and in accordance with the 2022-2023 Workforce Plan, the Board sought sanction for 34 additional posts. The Department provided sanction for these additional 34 posts in December 2022 and An Bord Pleanála is in the process of filling these positions.