Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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136. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide an update on proposed changes to the operation of An Bord Pleanála; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3428/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Housing for All – A New Housing Plan for Irelandsets out a number of objectives with the aim of improving the functioning of the planning system including the comprehensive review and consolidation of planning legislation. This review, which was led by the Attorney General, contained a number of key proposals in relation to An Bord Pleanála.In this regard, the new Draft Planning and Development Bill was agreed by Government on 13 December 2022 and will be published on my Department's website this week. It will then be sent to the Oireachtas for pre-legislative scrutiny.

The draft Bill outlines the proposed new structure for the Board, which will be renamed as An Coimisiún Pleanála. The new Bill contains a number of provisions reflecting this new organisational structure and will clearly outline the role of -

- Planning Commissioners: who will be responsible for all decision making regarding consents and applications made to it under the new Bill.

- The Governing Body: which will be responsible for the governance and organisation of the body.

The Bill also provides for the introduction of statutory mandatory timelines for all consent processes, including appeals and consent applications made to An Bord Pleanála.

While the main legislative provisions relating to An Bord Pleanála are being dealt with as part of the draft Planning and Development Bill, the Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Act 2022, which was signed into law in December 2022, addressed certain initial matters which required immediate action on foot of the Action Plan for An Bord Pleanála, Phase 1 of the Office of the Planning Regulator Review of An Bord Pleanála, and other matters relating to addressing board vacancies and the board’s case load in light of its new marine functions, including:

- Providing for the position of Interim Chairperson with all the powers of the permanent Chair for up to a year,

- Providing for a suitable, independent, objective and transparent procedure by which recommendations may be made to the Minister in relation to the recruitment and appointment of ordinary members of the Board through an open competitive process, and

- Increasing the limit on the overall number of ordinary members of the Board,

- Expanding the provision to appoint temporary ordinary board members to allow for the appointment of serving or former civil servants, public servants, or employees of the Board for a term of up to a year.

- clarifying and streamlining the investigative powers of the Chairperson under Section 110 , and

- removing the option for a two member Board quorum so that the minimum quorum will be at least three.