Victor Boyhan: An Coimisiún Pleanála must be resourced - no more delays

Minister, I suppose I'm really using this as I did with the other section there as an opportunity. This is the first mention of Commission Planola, the Commission, and I suppose really I just want to use this as an opportunity just to highlight a number of issues in relation to Commission Planola. Yes, it has come through a pretty rocky road and you know and I know and a number of Senators who served and particularly Senator Flaherty in terms of the Housing Committee and the long and protracted discussions we had about on Planola and I think there were a lot of shortcomings but in fairness the Board have responded well. It appears to be up and running. There are issues around timelines there and again Minister, I'm not expecting you to respond here tonight. I'm really just using this as an opportunity on the floor of the House to echo some of my concerns and maybe you could bring it back to the Department. But at the end of the day we if we you know and I welcome any time frames where you put down statutory timelines for the delivery because I cited here at the last outing on this bill how developers who were very successful in building new homes, very desirable, proper, sustainable homes that people were buying in advance of them even going on the market, are expressing an indication of their desire to buy them. And I think the problem is that I'm meeting entrepreneurs and people who want to put the money where their mouth, want to develop really classy good sustainable homes and for some reason through the planning process they seem to be locked out of further engagement and many of them are waiting months and months and months to get a response from on board Planola. Just a status update. Where are we now with our application to build 135 homes in South County Dublin? And I think this is the problem and it's got to be slick and efficient and fit for purpose. And if the government are serious about tackling sustainability, houses, proper planning and sustainable development, the board has to be responsive and capable of responding to valid applications that have come through a process and are sitting beside them. But we can't have a situation where the board cannot do its work. So if the board is short resources or staff, they need to be equipped with them. And I think that is the story coming in. And somehow people who object or raise concerns or submit observations, not necessarily objections, they're interested, they're engaging. And I'm quite amazed in the last year talking to a number of politicians in Leinster House who talk about are people frustrating the process. People don't set out to frustrate a planning process. Indeed many politicians in this house are on record of making submissions and objections to developments in their own backyard. You can't have it two ways. You can't have a view because you're meant to be representing people and then somehow having a different view when you're a minister coming in here, and I'm not talking about you minister, and suggesting, oh no, all these objections are holding up the process. There are many strands to the proper planning and sustainable development of our communities. And I suppose what I'm really saying in terms of the board, we can have... When you get this legislation through the House Minister, I mean, there can be no more excuses about planning. I mean, the 2024 bill was to be the panacea of all our problems. We were going to have homes everywhere. They were falling out all over the place. We were going to have wonderful playgrounds, communities, sports clubs, leisure clubs, swimming pools. You name it, we were going to have it. This is now 2026, and in a year's time, in two years, I hope I'll be saying, well done, great, but the lead into proper development. And it's not about building bricks alone. It's about building sustainable communities. And I suppose really what I'm saying here is, and I'll finish on this point, we must resource and commission planola with the expertise, with the experience, with the staff, and we don't want to hear anything about embargoes and they're not able to manage their affairs. And that goes for our planning authorities. And I want to, you know, again, salute the work of our planners and our 31 planning authorities who are under immense stress. You know it in Limerick City and County yourself. I know some of the people down there. There are real difficulties. There's so much coming at them. But I welcome the idea of the tight timelines. I think that's really, really important. No more excuses. Allow the democratic process. Allow the public engagement, which is so healthy in a democracy, to shape the outcomes, or contribute to shape, not to have predetermined outcomes about everything, but to shape those outcomes for the better for all. Thanks. Can I just welcome some guests there from Liffey College. Councillor Ammar Alleyan and Councillor Mary Fitzpatrick, guests of Senator Joe O'Reilly and Minister Peter Bourke. Thanks for being here. Welcome all. Councillor Corley, sorry, thank you very much. As you probably know, are very well aware, the section 19 of the Act itself is about development plans as a sink from the... I have no problem with the amendment. So I think just maybe, I think you're very familiar. I think the points you make are truly noted. I can go through what's being proposed under the part 4 of the Act in terms of the 2024 Act, in terms of the statute headlines coming in for both planning and operating income, school and If you wish me to do that, I will. I understand and I'm conscious of time. So I just really wanted you to take on board those concerns. And we very much take on board your learned views. Thank you very much. Thanks.