The draft Planning and Development Bill 2022 was published in January and the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage has undertaken a significant pre-legislative scrutiny process on it over the months of February and March. Their report, which I received at the start of May contains more than 150 recommendations, taking account of wide range of inputs from stakeholders. I am currently considering these recommendations carefully as we work closely with other Departments and the Office of Parliamentary Counsel to ready the Bill for publication.
The final Bill, when published, will be accompanied by an Explanatory Memorandum providing information on the provisions in the Bill and will highlight the rationale for any substantial changes made to the current Act. The Bill will then proceed before the Houses of the Oireachtas.