Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien has staunchly defended a large piece of legislation aimed at reforming and streamlining the planning process to reduce delays in housing and strategic infrastructure projects.
Responding to a three-day Seanad debate on the 747-page Planning and Development Bill Mr O’Brien rejected what he called the “failed state narrative” from some contributors, who trenchantly criticised elements of the legislation.
He told Senators that the first thing people think of when planning is mentioned is “delays”. The legislation aims to reduce delays including through the courts.
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The Bill consolidates existing planning law and as part of efforts to streamline processes, it raises the threshold for taking judicial reviews against developments.
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It also changes significantly An Bord Pleanála and renames it An Coimisiún Pleanála (Planning Commission). It increases the time between national development plans from five to 10 years and among the Government amendments is one to ban “go away money” claims to stop objections to projects.
Mr O’Brien insisted the Bill is “in no way, shape or form rushed” and had been considered “in great detail” before and during its process through the Oireachtas.
Many Senators criticised the guillotining of debate after 21 hours, while the Dáil debated legislation for 120 hours. But Mr O’Brien responded that “we lost days and days” of debate because of strategic calling of votes by Sinn Féin at the Dáil select committee hearings.
The Bill includes the introduction of national planning statements which will be deemed Government decisions, an element criticised heavily by some Senators. Mr O’Brien said it was about the Government’s ability to deliver their National Development Plan, adding that previous guidelines “have been ripped asunder”.
In the debate, Independent Senator Lynn Ruane said the Bill “represents a grey and banal vision of what life will be in our future” and “seems to prioritise economic development and activity over other types of activity”.
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Independent Senator Eileen Flynn said she had spent the past two weeks reading the 747-page Bill and described it as an “unjust piece of legislation”, unfair to the Traveller community and people with disabilities.
But Fianna Fáil Senator Eugene Murphy said many politicians including the Minister had worked behind the scenes to sort out accommodation for Traveller families.
Senators got to amendment 115 before debate was guillotined.
Sinn Féin Senator Paul Gavan criticised the introduction of hundreds of amendments at report stage in the Dáil “with no opportunity to scrutinise them”.
The committee stage debate was passed by 27 votes to 12. It will be back in the Seanad for report stage on September 24th before returning to the Dáil, likely in October.
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