Christopher O'Sullivan
Cork South-West · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“The aim of the hierarchy of the plan-making, as set out in the Act of 2024, is to improve scope for the various tiers of the planning system to more closely relate to one another, therefore providing greater clarity and consistency for all involved, from individual citizens and residents' groups to landowners and developers and ultimately…”
“My understanding is that a ten-year modernisation programme has already been undertaken by the Courts Service and significant progress has been made in improving the availability and use of court data.”
“Under the Act of 2024, the national planning framework continues to spearhead and explicate the planning agenda and sits at the pinnacle of the plan-led system and structure, whereby all tiers of planning from regional to local align with strategic objectives set out in the national planning framework.”
“The Senator has suggested that such plans would identify strategic development priorities, including settlement hierarchy, infrastructure corridors, climate adaptation measures and areas for regeneration; set out indicative phasing for major infrastructure and public investment; include spatial mapping of long-term development objectives;…”
“The Bill also facilitates the completion of the work of the Valuation Tribunal and the facility for the local authority to issue the levy demand and, where necessary, for An Coimisiún Pleanála to deal with any appeals to the demand that may arise in those existing cases currently with the tribunal.”
“As the system of plan-making in the State has just been revised and is being implemented for the first time, the introduction of another layer of plan-making could undermine the new hierarchy that was carefully arranged and agreed following extensive engagement with a range of stakeholders, including the Office of the Attorney General, an…”
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“The NPWS conservation measures programme is developing and implementing conservation measures on special areas of conservation, SACs, and special protection areas in the Natura 2000 network in Ireland, and addressing threats and pressures to the qualifying interest habitats and species in these sites, with conservation measures implemented at over 90 Natura 2000 sites in 2024. The NPWS farm plan scheme continues to grow and to engage with farmers and landowners to support nature on the land, through encouragement, advice and financial supports, with a goal of over 500 farm plans in progress by the end of 2025. The NPWS is also continuing to support community initiatives through the peatlands and Natura community engagement scheme. In 2025, funding of over €800,000 has been awarded to 45 community-led projects.”
“For the first time in the history of the State, the NBAP is underpinned by law, following the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2023, which mandates both the legal requirement to have an NBAP and to report on its implementation and progress. Supporting the NPWS is key to supporting biodiversity in Ireland. Since 2020, core funding has increased from €28.7 million to €78 million in 2025; staffing has grown from 349 to 577; and the strategic action plan for renewal, published in 2022, has been delivered. The NPWS now manages eight national parks, including two new additions since 2020, as well as a large network of nature reserves. By making strategic land acquisitions, safeguarding corncrake habitats and expanding Connemara National Park, we are protecting endangered species while promoting sustainable tourism.”
“In 2019, this House declared a climate and biodiversity emergency. The 2020 programme for Government responded with the most ambitious nature commitments ever made by an Irish Government. Now, as in the 2025 programme, we are accelerating our efforts to meet the scale of the challenge. Since 2020, Ireland has made substantial and measurable progress in biodiversity protection, driven in large part by the renewed capacity and leadership of the NPWS. A major step forward came with the publication of Ireland’s fourth national biodiversity action plan, NBAP, in January 2024. This plan represents a whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach to the governance and conservation of biodiversity.”
“It is a privilege to address the House today to mark National Biodiversity Week, my first since being appointed Minister of State with responsibility for nature, heritage and biodiversity. This week continues to grow in reach and impact, with over 350 events happening nationwide. It is a time not just to celebrate Ireland's rich natural heritage, but also to reflect, take stock and recommit to the urgent task of protecting biodiversity. Since taking up this position, I have been deeply moved by the people I have met across Ireland - farmers, conservationists, local leaders, volunteers and of course National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS, staff - who are dedicating themselves to the care of our natural environment. Their passion, knowledge and sense of responsibility are both humbling and inspiring.”
“If Uisce Éireann does not reach out to the residents, the Deputy should come back to me and we will ensure that communication happens.”
“Both our water and wastewater systems require substantial and sustained investment over a number of investment cycles to bring the systems up to the quality of resilience standards required of a modern service to provide for population growth and to build resilience in the face of climate change. I assure the Deputy that the Government is delivering a sustainable funding path to further enhance the ongoing significant improvements in our public water and wastewater services. Again, I have contacted Uisce Éireann and asked it to reach out to the residents to try to give them some information and satisfaction in terms of the path forward. However, the Deputy will understand based on the response I gave earlier that there are a whole host of legacy issues that, unfortunately, are not simply resolved overnight. I know this has taken time.”
“I will elaborate a bit more. Uisce Éireann has a customer service function through its water charges plan and customer charter, which outlines the standard of services customers should expect to receive. It is open to any member of the public to lodge a formal complaint with Uisce Éireann if they are not happy with the service provided. Details on how to do so are on its website. Any issues that cannot be resolved by Uisce Éireann to the satisfaction of the customer can be referred, under the formal complaints process, to the Commission for Regulation of Utilities. The details on this process can be found on the CRU website. The Government’s priority is to ensure that people’s health is protected and that adequate water is available for all consumers.”
“While I 100% agree with the Deputy that the constituents he represents need answers, connection and for this to be resolved, when developers go about things in such a way, it makes things incredibly difficult, and that has to be acknowledged as well.”
“Finally, the Uisce Éireann contractors observed that the development is currently provided with water by way of an exposed onward supply from an existing premises, which is causing water pressure issues both for the existing and new developments and runs the risk of service interruptions for occupants arising from exposure of the pipe to the elements. Given the unauthorised connections to both the water and wastewater networks, this is now a legal matter for Uisce Éireann. I have requested Uisce Éireann to engage directly with the residents of Ellen's Court to keep them informed of progress. I hope Uisce Éireann does reach out to the residents, as per the response. I directed Uisce Éireann to do that. The Deputy can see that it is a bit of a mess, and it has been inherited.”
“Uisce Éireann understands that the local authority, as the competent storm water authority, has been in touch with the developer as a result, seeking remediation of the storm water network. That absolutely needs to happen. On the water side, the water pipe installed by the developer is laid directly on top of the wastewater pipe, rendering the installation non-compliant with Uisce Éireann’s relevant standards. While it may be technically feasible to make a water connection to the existing pipe, any such connection will only compound the existing non-compliance issues, including the existing damage to the storm water network. As a result, and pending rectification of the water-wastewater pipe layout to achieve compliance with Uisce Éireann’s relevant standards, it is not possible to proceed with a connection to the water network.”
“In summary, Uisce Éireann's contractors identified that the wastewater connection for the development had already been made to the wastewater network, contrary to the requirements of the connection agreement. On this basis, the wastewater connection is an unauthorised connection. Further, Uisce Éireann’s contractors also identified that the unauthorised connection to the wastewater network was made directly through an existing storm water pipe, causing very significant damage to the existing storm water network and significantly increasing the risk of flooding in the area. One can see the level of complication and the legacy that has been inherited here.”
“However, I have made inquiries for the Deputy, and my understanding from information provided to me is that this matter relates to a water and wastewater connection issue for six houses in Ellen's Court, County Dublin and has been raised directly with Uisce Éireann previously. Contractors working on behalf of Uisce Éireann undertook some works at the location in November 2023, but their investigation established that connection works could not be completed by Uisce Éireann due to separate works needing to be completed by the developer of the estate on the private side. Engagement has been ongoing with the developer in the interim, with a view to remediating the issues outlined below.”
“As the Deputy will understand, the supply of public water and the provision of water services in general are matters for Uisce Éireann in the first instance. Uisce Éireann has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. The scope, prioritisation and progression of individual projects are matters for Uisce Éireann and approved through its own board and internal governance structures. Under section 7 of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013, neither I nor the Minister, Deputy Browne, have function regarding Uisce Éireann’s specific operations at Ellen's Court. In other words, Ministers cannot get involved in individual projects; that is a matter for Uisce Éireann.”
“I thank Deputy O’Donoghue for raising this. I know it is frustrating. He has probably tabled parliamentary questions on this and got an answer saying that he cannot get detailed responses in parliamentary questions because it is a responsibility for Uisce Éireann. Therefore, this is a good opportunity to raise it in the Dáil and get a bit more detailed response from the Department. I welcome that. I will go into more detail in the response, but there seems to be several complications – legacy issues inherited by Uisce Éireann. I think concerted effort between the developer and Uisce Éireann is needed to resolve this. What is there seems to be a bit of a mess, which is causing, as the Deputy outlined, many of the issues.”
“The sixth and fifth year students will probably not have that luxury but perhaps students after that could. It would be amazing if we could get that going.”
“I did not know Senator Wilson was a former pupil. That is another testament to what a great education centre it is. In all seriousness, I thank the Deputy for bringing this up. I know how hard he fought for the project and that he would love to see it further progressed. I accept 12 months is a long time for the principal, staff, board and parents to be wondering where they stand on this. It will be built and delivered; it is just a matter of getting that information. I suggest in the interim we ask the Department to communicate with the principal and board and give some indication as to when stage 2a will be approved and they can carry on with planning permission. It would be lovely to think at least some of the students currently studying in Breifne College will be able to avail of the new school.”
“These processes take time, as we have seen in the past, but I accept that 12 months in stage 2a is a long period. I will relay that back to the Minister and the Department directly to try to get progress so that at least an opinion can be given to the college as soon as possible and so that the project can continue.”
“Managing, timing, scope and cost are crucial to staying within budgetary limits for the overall programme. While the school naturally has ambitious timelines for the delivery of the project, the project forms part of our overall pipeline and each project's progression to the next stage. Once the stage 2a report review is concluded, the Department will be in contact with Cavan and Monaghan Education and Training Board to advise how best to progress this important project. What this project will do for education provision in Cavan is extraordinary. We have seen these projects rolled out across Ireland in the past four or five years and each town and area has benefited from them. It is high time Breifne College was able to avail of this.”
“These are an essential element of good cost control and support market interest in our school building projects. The project in Breifne College, as the Deputy outlined, is at stage 2a, involving the development of the design along with an accurate cost plan which best meets the design agreed at stage 1. In June 2024, almost 12 months ago, the Department received a stage 2a report from Cavan and Monaghan Education and Training Board for review. Following the submission of this report, the Department has been carrying out an intensive review from the technical and cost perspectives in accordance with the requirements of the public spending code. All projects, including this one, will undergo the necessary due diligence outlined in the public infrastructure guidelines.”
“Delivery of this project has been devolved to Cavan and Monaghan Education and Training Board. A design team has been appointed to design the accommodation and bring the project through to the tender and construction phases. Projects progress from stage to stage in accordance with the project brief and the Department's design guidelines. Under the ASA scheme, the Department has detailed procedures in place for appraisal, design, tender and construction of all school building projects. Design team procedures define the points in a project's life cycle at which approval must be sought from the Department which aligns with the infrastructure guidelines and capital works management framework. These processes include the stage approval reviews, which challenge all elements of design and specification.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this. I know it is a project he fought hard for. When he sought and got initial approval in 2021, I would say he did not think he would still be here in 2025 seeking stage 2a to be progressed and approved, but here we are. I accept that is a long time and 12 months for the stage 2a process is a long time as well. I will certainly bring that back to the Department. It is a very exciting project. It is incredible: four general classrooms, seven SET rooms, three science labs with preparation rooms, two engineering rooms, two technology rooms with preparation rooms, one graphics room, one art room, one textiles room, one economics room, project stores and two classrooms for special educational needs. It is an extraordinary project and I am sure it will serve the people of Cavan and the students incredibly well.”
“I cannot give a yes or no answer. As I said, the Cabinet subcommittee on housing is meeting. I will certainly work with the Deputy and the local authorities to try to find a resolution to this, because I agree with the Deputy that the tenant in situ scheme is a key way of preventing homelessness.”
“Where challenges are presenting themselves, like they are presenting themselves in Cork City Council, where there are commitments from a previous year, in fairness, local authorities have to work within parameters and budgets and because the tenant in situ scheme is such an effective solution, the council has obviously gone over what it was allocated in 2024. I get the Deputy's point and the equation. Through those commitments, there is a shortfall in the 2025 acquisitions. My understanding is that the Department will work closely with Cork City Council and Cork County Council to get through this.”
“The allocation of €20 million to the council in 2025 represents 6% of the total fund available across 31 local authorities. To date, €6.8 million has been paid to Cork City Council in 2025. The Deputy is right that that represents strong delivery in the tenant in situ scheme. In fairness to them, I know that Cork City Council and Cork County Council have strong delivery of new builds for social homes, which has to be commended. Housing for All has always been flexible and has always been up for review.”
“Since the second-hand acquisition programme was established, Cork City Council has delivered a significant programme, complementing its strong record of new build output in the city. Over the past three years, Cork City Council has acquired 285 second-hand properties, scaling up significantly in 2024, with 135 homes acquired, of which 79 were tenant in situ acquisitions. Taking Cork County Council's acquisitions over the last three years, including both local authority and approved housing body acquisitions, the council represents approximately 7% of all acquisitions nationally, based on the number of units. I can reconfirm that the tenant in situ scheme is not closed in Cork City Council.”
“I understand that the Department is working closely with Cork City Council. Cork County Council is in a similar situation. It has been allocated around €15 million for 2025. Its commitments for 2024 that have not got over the line yet are around €13 million. Discussions and further work with local authorities will have to be done to resolve this. I understand a Cabinet subcommittee on housing is meeting today. I do not know the outcomes of that yet. I am not sure if that meeting has finished. I will relay the points the Deputy made to the senior Minister. I will work with the senior Minister, Cork County Council and Cork City Council to try to resolve this. The Deputy is right that it has worked. It is a good scheme. It is continuing but it needs to work for all local authorities.”
“I am informed that the Department is working closely with the council. I appreciate Deputy Gould's concern. He has raised this before. He has raised the plight of his constituents who he knows who may have notice to quit or may be at risk of homelessness. I appreciate that and the efforts that he makes. I hope that every effort is made to resolve this. I think there are things that could be done. We are seeing situations where the new criteria that we have set out are being applied to houses for which discussions about buying them under the tenant in situ scheme had been entered into in 2024. Perhaps that can be looked at. I appreciate the equation the Deputy set out, that the allocation falls short of living up to the agreements or to tenant in situ acquisitions that were set in train in 2024. There is an issue.”
“The Government has approved capital funding of €325 million for the second-hand acquisitions programme for 2025, which is part of almost €2 billion in Exchequer funding committed for social housing provision in 2025. Cork City Council has been allocated €20 million for its acquisitions programme in 2025, which, as noted, includes tenant in situ as one of the priority categories for the second-hand acquisitions programme. Based on average unit acquisition cost from 2024, this allocation should allow Cork City Council to purchase in the region of 70 second-hand homes in 2025. The Department is aware that Cork City has a significant carryover of costs from its 2024 programme, including acquisitions that closed in early 2025, which is causing an additional burden in prioritising how best to proceed with tenant in situ acquisitions.”
“This second-hand acquisitions programme is targeted at four specific categories: to respond to tenants in situ who have received notice of termination; to support exits from homelessness services, to respond to the housing needs of people with a disability and older persons requiring urgent housing responses; and to buy and renew acquisitions which tackle vacancy. The introduction of the tenant in situ scheme in 2023 has seen a significant ramping up of second-hand acquisitions and, for example, in the period 2023 to the end of 2024, more than 3,300 second-hand homes were acquired, with 2,100 of them being tenant in situ acquisitions, at a cost to the Exchequer of more than €900 million.”
“I thank Deputy Gould for raising this important matter. I am glad to have the opportunity to discuss the second-hand acquisitions programme, which includes the tenant in situ scheme in Cork city. This Government and Department are committed to increasing the supply of new build social and affordable homes. Increasing the overall housing supply is key to addressing the housing challenge and in particular preventing and ultimately eliminating long-term homelessness. At the same time, there is a need to supplement this new build programme with second-hand acquisitions to respond to acute local situations where households in receipt of social housing supports such as housing assistance payment are at risk of becoming homeless or where there is an urgent need to acquire a property to respond to a particular need.”
“I accept it is a difficultly and that many young people are having to jump through too many hoops and go through two, three or four applications before they finally get permission on their land, in their community or neighbouring areas. These are people who want to contribute to their community, to their local sporting organisations and to live and work in their community. Many Deputies made reference to infrastructure and wastewater in particular. This framework underlines the importance of this infrastructure. It is now down to the NDP and investment in Uisce Éireann, as well as the organisation itself, to ensure that infrastructure is delivered. I thank Deputies sincerely for their contributions.”
“The issue of one-off housing was a constant theme, especially from Deputies living in rural parts of Ireland. That is where I live and it is an issue I see cropping up daily. I have never heard of planning permission being refused because of the national planning framework. However, I absolutely accept young people, young couples, individuals and older people as well are experiencing many difficulties with getting planning permission in their communities, neighbourhoods and sometimes on their own land. When the development plans are reopened after this national planning framework is adopted there is an opportunity for local authorities and councillors to make decisions and write county development plans that support young people living in rural areas to get planning permission in rural areas.”
“Now it is there and that will allow investment in the regional areas but also protect a very important capital city we also need to invest in. There is a need for compact growth but this framework also allows and acknowledges the need, the requirement and the right of people living in rural areas to get planning permission within their communities. I take the point there is a need to empower local authorities to zone land where they deem it necessary and for them to have more say, as well as the reserved function in terms of how their development plans come together. I guess the criticism of the Office of the Planning Regulator is coming from that point, but this framework allows autonomy within the local authorities in order to do that.”
“This framework recognises that and puts in place a framework that will tie in with our national development plan in order to achieve those housing targets, along with the revision of county development plans on a local authority basis. Climate action and nature restoration are at the key of the framework as well, which is very important, especially from my point of view and the remit I have within the Department. We must remember also - because I have heard a lot of criticism about the lack of targets in terms of regional development - that prior to the 2018 framework there was no 50:50 split. In other words, the split between 50% growth in Dublin and the east compared with the north west, west and south was not there.”
“The Government is committed to providing increased support for infrastructure through the creation of a dedicated infrastructure division in the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform and through the new housing activation office in my Department, and it is essential that we continue to address barriers to delivery in order to meet the needs of current and future generations. The NPF revision builds on existing policies to ensure we develop resilient, vibrant and inclusive places and communities to live. This is a framework to allow Ireland to grow sustainably. The demographic of Ireland is changing; our population is increasing. Therefore, our housing targets are increasing.”
“The opportunities provided by the green energy transition to effect regional development are promoted by the strategy, in addition to the need to deliver essential infrastructure such as transport, water, wastewater and electricity projects that are needed to support additional population and employment growth in all our regions. The funding of infrastructure projects, with specific public investment projects to support and promote a greater balance in regional development aligned with the NPF, is facilitated by the national development plan. Accordingly, the important interaction between the NPF and the NDP is essential to realising our objectives.”
“This scheme is allocating over €117 million to transformative capital works to such buildings in Cork, Galway, Waterford, Donegal and elsewhere around the country. The cornerstone policy of both the existing and draft revised national planning framework is the achievement of a greater regional balance in future population and employment growth. Critical to the achievement of greater regional balance is the overall development of both urban and rural areas in Ireland, with a particular policy focus on delivering strengthened and diversified rural communities, consistent with Government policy. This extends to the Gaeltacht areas across the country, where promotion and protection of the Irish language through the implementation of language plans are supported in this revision.”
“The latest vacant homes action plan progress report, published in March 2025, shows that real progress has been made in tackling vacancy and dereliction, with significant investment through schemes such as the urban regeneration and development fund, the vacant property refurbishment grant and the repair and lease scheme, which help both local authorities and property owners to bring vacant and derelict properties back into use and revitalise towns across the country. The NPF also highlights the benefits of protecting and enhancing our built heritage. The town centre first heritage revival scheme is utilising Ireland's ERDF EU-regional programmes to rehabilitate publicly owned vacant or derelict heritage buildings through renovation, renewal and adaptive reuse.”
“Addressing vacancy and making efficient use of efficient housing stock is a key Government priority. To address this, a number of structures have now been established, including a dedicated vacant homes unit in my Department, a full-time vacant homes officer in each local authority and the publication of a vacant homes action plan to draw together a number of vacancy-related measures across relevant Government Departments.”
“The impact of this will be significant and will require co-ordination and prioritisation to ensure that the necessary infrastructure is in place to support and enable housing delivery and to ensure that housing delivery is aligned with the provision of services and facilities, including education, childcare, healthcare and recreational facilities, to support the expansion of existing settlements and the creation of new sustainable communities. Therefore, it will be critical to deliver compact and sustainable growth patterns, and any allocation of land in relation to updated targets will need to reflect the potential of brownfield land, including infill sites, the conversion of existing buildings and the reuse of vacant and derelict buildings, in addition to greenfield land, to deliver housing.”
“Work on this stage is under way based on the revised NPF housing figures, and it is intended that this will inform the updating of development plans across the country over the coming months. The strategic plan-led approach to future housing development will inform the making of decisions in relation to planning applications in a robust and efficient manner, assisted by the statutory decision-making timelines contained within the Planning and Development Act 2024.”
“This will require more land to be zoned, as well as more housing from other sources, such as through tackling vacancy and dereliction to utilise our existing building stock and to assist with meeting our climate obligations. The NPF does not itself zone land and there must therefore be a further step to formalise the translation of updated NPF population and housing figures to the local level. The allocation of updated planning housing growth requirements on a local authority by local authority basis will involve a balanced methodology that factors in the level of housing demand arising from performance in terms of recent housing delivery and capacity while ensuring adherence to the policy parameters of the NPF strategy.”
“In particular, I welcome the emphasis on biodiversity and the need to promote nature restoration in the revised NPF, which will provide the opportunity to align our future national restoration plan with the statutory planning system. Countering the trend of urban sprawl, supporting the targeted delivery of infrastructure services and increasing the availability of new homes is a key focus of the revised NPF. In the period between 2022 and 2040, it is expected that there will be roughly an extra 1 million people living in our country. This population growth will require new jobs and new homes which we need to plan for in a sustainable manner.”
“The national planning framework is the Government's high-level strategic plan for shaping the future growth and development of our country out to the year 2040. As outlined earlier by the Minister, Deputy Browne, and the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, this framework has been revised and updated to take account of changes that have occurred since its initial publication in 2018. It is a framework to guide public and private investment, to create and promote opportunities for our people and to protect and enhance our environment, from our villages to our cities and our unique rural areas. As set out in the opening statements of my Government colleagues, the spatial planning system plays a key role in managing the impact of growth and development on our natural environment and mitigating climate change.”
“I thank everybody for their contributions. I listened with interest. Many valid points were made by Deputies who are clearly in touch with their constituencies. They know the reality on the ground in their constituencies. I might come back to a lot of those comments at the end of my closing remarks. I am pleased to have the opportunity to outline the importance of the first revision of the national planning framework. I welcome the valuable discussion that has taken place, which reflects the importance of ensuring there is an up-to-date national strategic plan in place to guide the decisions that will shape Ireland for the next 20 years and provide the policy clarity that is needed to give certainty in these challenging times.”
“Regarding the nature restoration plan, it is grand to have it in the national planning framework but we must ensure it also makes it into the national development plan and that it is funded, so that if we do have a nature restoration plan, we can actually fund it and put those measures in place. I thank all the Senators for their contributions today.”
“It is absolutely vital if we are to see a sustained development. Many Senators spoke about the need for regional balance and that is the core policy of this framework. There has been some criticism of the consultation. This process has been going on since 2023. There was an extended public consultation period from July to September 2024. The Oireachtas joint committee on housing also met to discuss this very plan. I appreciate the support that has been offered and I am heartened to hear of the mentions of biodiversity and the nature restoration plan. I am delighted it is getting a sounding in this House as well because it is important. All development must have this at its core as well.”
“I will very quickly touch on what Senator Casey was speaking about as I entered the House, which was the Office of the Planning Regulator and the frustrations at county development plan level in terms of the reserved functions of councillors. I agree with him that it is very important we give those reserved functions back to councillors and ensure they are able to implement them in a way they see fit at a local level. We saw during the most recent iteration of county development plans where towns were dezoned and areas that were suitable for development were dezoned. That must be addressed as these development plans are being reviewed. We have heard time and again from many Senators about the importance of and the need for investment in infrastructure, whether that is in water supply, broadband, roads and public transport.”
“This would further delay the completion of this important piece of work which, as the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins outlined, is critical to informing the updating of regional strategies and local authority development plans to reflect matters such as updated housing figures, projected jobs and growth, renewable energy capacity allocations, and the rezoning of land for residential employment and a range of other purposes. This would delay the process which would further delay the development plans which have to be amended quickly and efficiently in order that we can achieve housing targets. There are also energy security issues, which have been alluded to by other Members of the House.”
“The proposed amendment to the motion tabled by Senators Cosgrove and Harmon is opposed for the following reasons. First, the national planning framework is a high-level policy strategy and it would not be appropriate to prohibit any particular type of development which could be considered under the Planning and Development Act. Approval of the House is being sought for the final draft revised national planning framework, noting the specific wording of section 20C(8) of the Planning and Development Act 2000. If any amendments were to be applied, it would require the environmental assessments to be recommenced, meaning the revision process would not be concluded for a number of months.”