As a Taoiseach is aware, delays in planning are causing huge problems for individuals and businesses. This is particularly acute with An Bord Pleanála where many of the appeals, I would say the majority, are not dealt with within anything like the four-month statutory target. It can take over a year to get permission for leave to seek substitute consent, for example. When one finally gets the leave, if one does get the leave, to apply for substitute consent it can take two or three years to get the substitute consent. This is utterly farcical given that many of these cases are very simple. I know of a case going on for years that relates to one house and has no effect on the environment. The house has been built. When will the planning and development (judicial review) Bill and the planning development Bill come before the Dáil? Both are on the list for publication. In the meantime, will extra staff be provided to An Bord Pleanála to allow it to make decision in an appropriate and speedy manner?

It is my understanding that this legislation has gone through pre-legislative scrutiny and the outcome is being examined.

It has not come through the Dáil.

On the overall point about delays in planning, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, in consort with the Attorney General, is having a more fundamental and very detailed comprehensive look at the entire planning code with a view to providing legislative proposals whereby a project that would normally take a number of years could be undertaken in one year. We acknowledge that the planning code is very complicated, difficult and challenging. Given the massive infrastructural programme that everybody wants, and the massive housing programme we need, we need to be more streamlined in how we conduct that business.