Éamon Ó Cuív on planning delays and timelines for board plan Ola
Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Taoiseach about lengthy delays by on board plan Ola in issuing planning decisions and whether the Planning and Development Amendment Number Two Bill and the priority legislative list will be published. He pressed whether the legislation is intended to impose statutory time limits on all types of planning applications handled by board plan Ola.
Question on statutory timelines
The deputy highlighted that statutory objectives, such as a four-month target, are frequently missed by on board plan Ola. He cited a case waiting over nine months for a decision on leave to apply for substitute consent and warned that major infrastructure projects are taking years.
Taoiseach's acknowledgement
The Taoiseach agreed that planning decisions and major infrastructure works are taking too long and said this is a matter that needs to be addressed.
Review of the planning code
The Taoiseach confirmed a major review is underway over the next 12 months, an accelerated process that would ordinarily take three or four years. The review is being led by the Attorney General and is focused on streamlining the entire planning code.
Legislative action and timelines
The Taoiseach said the Minister for Housing is bringing forward legislation and "the intention is to have specific timelines for which board plan Ola will give consideration to practice." He added he would come back with the specific legislation relevant to the deputy's question.
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Thaiseach, as you know there is a major issue with on board plan Ola, not delivering decisions in good time, there is a statutory objective for example of four months and in many cases the decisions are not given within that time, I have a case of a person who applied for leave to apply for substitute consent over nine months ago and yet does not have a decision, major infrastructure projects are taking years, so my question to it is this, does the planning and development amendment number two bill and the priority legislative list, can you tell me when will it be published and is it intended to put statutory limits to the amount of time on board plan Ola can take to come to decisions in relation to all the different types of planning applications they handle? First of all, I agree with the deputy's comments in respect of the length of time it is taking to get planning decisions and also the length of time it is taking to get major infrastructure works done in this country, to that end there is a major review underway over the next 12 months, something that would ordinarily take three or four years to be done in one year, led by the Attorney General on the entire planning code, to get a more streamlined system. Secondly, in respect to the specific point around timelines, the Minister for Housing is bringing forward legislation and in that legislation the intention is to have specific timelines for which board plan Ola will give consideration to practice. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. I am not sure if it is that one I will come back to you on that and I will come back with the specific legislation that may be relevant to the question that you asked. Thanks. Thank you very much. Thanks. I will see you on the phone.
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