Thank you. We are out of time. I call Deputy Paul Murphy.

The deputy chair of An Bord Pleanála, Mr. Paul Hyde, is under investigation for failing to declare a conflict of interest in relation to a development in Blackpool, Cork which bordered a site owned by his father. This, however, appears to be only the tip of the iceberg for Mr. Hyde. I have been given documents from 2018 highlighting another proposed development, this time in Carrigtwohill, Cork on a plot of land near another site in which he has a share through a company called Blandcrest.

Deputy. Please, Deputy Murphy. You are making allegations against somebody. There are insinuations against someone who is not here to defend themselves. It is completely out of order.

These are fact which are clearly on the public record.

It is completely out of order.

Yet again, he was one of three deciding offers on this application but declared no conflict. The land borders another site that at the time of the 2018 decision was owned by his father and subsequently transferred to his brother. Another development is proposed for the area currently.

Blandcrest came under scrutiny in 2014 when Cork County Council broke procurement policy, spending €1.5 million on a railway underpass on land owned by this company. That underpass was completely unnecessary being just 200 m from another. Why was public money spent?

The Deputy is out of time, please.

Will the Taoiseach make sure there is a full public investigation into this and that the matter that I am raising and others that may come to light in the next days are included in that inquiry?

I understand that the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, is aware of the allegations that have been made and he understands that those allegations are denied by the board member concerned. However, a senior counsel has been appointed to provide a report to inform his consideration of the matter. Terms of reference and timelines for this report are currently being finalised. An Bord Pleanála is independent in the performance of its functions under the Planning Act. Pending the outcome of these considerations it would be inappropriate for me to comment further.

The Office of the Planning Regulator has independently written to the chairperson of An Bord Pleanála requesting him to outline the systems and procedures that An Bord Pleanála has in place to ensure effective compliance with the statutory duties provided for in the Planning Acts regarding declarations of intersect and any other information he considers relevant.