The Government’s extensive legislation to overhaul the planning system is due to go before TDs tonight for a final vote.
The proposed law will see An Bord Pleanála renamed to An Coimisiún Pleanála and a reformed process for taking judicial reviews introduced.
Running to more than 900 pages, the legislation is a key part of the Government’s plans to deal with the housing crisis.
The legislation also sets out minimum requirements for organisations such as residents’ groups to take a judicial review.
Residents associations will have to have constitution and will have to have held a vote to seek a judicial review.
The costs of taking a judicial review will have to be made known in advance.
The proposed law says local authorities will be mandated to draw up ten year development plans instead of six years at present.
The new planning board will be restructured with separation of corporate, decision making and governance functions.
Last week the Government introduced a significant number of amendments to the bill.
‘Unacceptable’ timeframe to deal with amendments – Bacik
Labour leader Ivana Bacik has claimed the Government’s planning and development bill, which will be voted on tonight in the Dáil, will do “real damage” to the planning system, delay the delivery of homes and concentrate power in the hands of the minister.
She said it was “unacceptable” that the Government proposed to deal with 177 pages of amendments in only three hours.
The Dublin Bay South deputy expressed considerable concern regarding provisions for the consideration of floating platforms for Liquid Natural Gas, or LNG.
She contended this was going to embed harmful fossil fuels into the long term, something which was a particular concern given the process of fracking which delivers a lot of LNG is associated with environmental degradation and rare cancers.
In reply, Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys said the planning and development bill had already been subject to an exhaustive 170 hours of debate and would be voted on tonight.
She described the bill as hugely significant and vital for streamlining the planning process, introducing mandatory timelines, overhauling An Bord Pleanala and improving the process of judicial review.
Regarding LNG, she said the provisions were introduced to ensure that if there was ever “a massive energy crisis” then Ireland could have the required storage – if it was required.
The minister said it had “nothing, nothing, nothing to do with fracking” which was something the Government opposed.
Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Housing Eoin Ó Broin has criticised lack of the debate on the changes.
He argued the new legislation “will do more harm than good” and will result in more legal challenges by those denied access to judicial reviews.
Protests against bill
Friends of the Earth Chief Executive Oisín Coghlan has criticised the inclusion of plans to allow for a temporary off-shore floating State-owned gas reserves in certain circumstances.
Mr Coghlan raised the issue with the Green Party which has been opposed to the introduction of liquified natural gas (LNG) facilities in Ireland.
He said the Government had introduced “last-minute amendments to the Planning Bill to designate LNG as strategic infrastructure”.
Anti-fracking groups from counties Fermanagh, Leitrim and Cork have gathered outside the Dáil to protest the bill.
The groups have claimed that the legislation would allow for a LNG facility in Ireland which could store fracked gas.
A Green Party Government spokesman said any such facility would not include fracked gas and would not be a commercial plant.
Anti-fracking groups from counties Fermanagh, Leitrim and Cork have gathered outside the Dáil to protest about the bill.
The groups have claimed that the legislation would allow for a LNG facility in Ireland which could store fracked gas.
Actor Mark Ruffalo has also raised concerns about the amendments to the legislation.
In a post on social media, he said “the Irish Green Party is about to do something terrible to the environment”.
Article Source – Govt legislation over planning system to go before TDs – RTE
