Alan Kelly
Question:
306. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide the recommendations that have or have not been completed from the review of An Bord Pleanála published in 2016, in tabular form. [62072/22]
View answer
The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded in accordance with Standing Orders.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51.
An Organisational Review of An Bord Pleanála was undertaken by an independent expert panel and published in March 2016. An Implementation Group, comprising representation from my Department and An Bord Pleanála (the Board), was established to oversee the implementation of the Review recommendations. The Review contains 101 recommendations relating to:
- simplification of the planning legislation
- improvements to the processes, systems and practices of An Bord Pleanála
- improvements to the organisational structure and staffing
- changes to the statutory objective timeframes and aspects of the Strategic Infrastructure Development process
The Implementation Group published its Terms of Reference and Plan for Implementation in 2016. The Board, supported by my Department, as required, took the lead in the implementation of a large number of the key recommendations, with my Department taking the lead in examining recommendations requiring legislative underpinning. An update, in tabular form, on the implementation status of each of the 101 recommendations contained in the report is attached.
“Housing for All – A New Housing Plan for Ireland” sets 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. Recommendations of the Organisational Review of An Bord Pleanála requiring legislative underpinning are being considered in the context of the review of planning legislation which was led by the Attorney General’s Office and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, who established a working group of professionals with planning law expertise to assist in this work. An outline of the proposed Planning and Development Bill 2022 was published by my Department on the 13th December 2022 and it is intended to publish the draft bill in early 2023. As such, a number of the 2016 Recommendations will be reviewed in the context of that draft Bill and the recommendations of the Phase 1 and 2 An Bord Pleanála review reports by the Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR).
Finally, the report contains recommendations in relation to the process of appointment to the Board of An Bord Pleanála. The Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill which was passed by both houses of the Oireachtas on the 15th December 2022 outlines a new appointment process for Ordinary members of the Board. Appointments to the Board of An Bord Pleanála will be made through this open, competitive and transparent process during 2023.
[< a href="https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/debates/questions/supportingDocumentation/2022-12-13_pq306-13-12-2023_en.pdf">An Bord Pleanála Recommendation</a>]
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51
An Organisational Review of An Bord Pleanála was undertaken by an independent expert panel and published in March 2016. An Implementation Group, comprising representation from my Department and An Bord Pleanála (the Board), was established to oversee the implementation of the Review recommendations. The Review contains 101 recommendations relating to:
- simplification of the planning legislation
- improvements to the processes, systems and practices of An Bord Pleanála
- improvements to the organisational structure and staffing
- changes to the statutory objective timeframes and aspects of the Strategic Infrastructure Development process
The Implementation Group published its Terms of Reference and Plan for Implementation in 2016. The Board, supported by my Department, as required, took the lead in the implementation of a large number of the key recommendations, with my Department taking the lead in examining recommendations requiring legislative underpinning. An update, in tabular form, on the implementation status of each of the 101 recommendations contained in the report is attached.
“Housing for All – A New Housing Plan for Ireland” sets 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. Recommendations of the Organisational Review of An Bord Pleanála requiring legislative underpinning are being considered in the context of the review of planning legislation which was led by the Attorney General’s Office and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, who established a working group of professionals with planning law expertise to assist in this work. An outline of the proposed Planning and Development Bill 2022 was published by my Department on the 13th December 2022 and it is intended to publish the draft bill in early 2023. As such, a number of the 2016 Recommendations will be reviewed in the context of that draft Bill and the recommendations of the Phase 1 and 2 An Bord Pleanála review reports by the Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR).
Finally, the report contains recommendations in relation to the process of appointment to the Board of An Bord Pleanála. The Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill which was passed by both houses of the Oireachtas on the 15th December 2022 outlines a new appointment process for Ordinary members of the Board. Appointments to the Board of An Bord Pleanála will be made through this open, competitive and transparent process during 2023.
