This year, An Bord Pleanála has shelled out more than €1 million of taxpayers' money to developers because of the delayed decisions on controversial strategic housing developments, SHDs. This information emerged in the aftermath of revelations that the legal bills of An Bord Pleanála have more than doubled to €8 million a year arising from a litany of legally questionable planning decisions. Millions of euro are being wasted because of the bad and late decisions being made by the board. Why is this allowed to happen? How long will it be tolerated by the Government? Will anyone in An Bord Pleanála by held accountable for this appalling waste of taxpayers' money? Will the Government include this financial mismanagement in its ongoing review and reform of An Bord Pleanála?

In the first instance, we have reinstated the two-stage process that replaces the SHD process. Decisions are now being made by local authorities and are then going on to An Bord Pleanála. A comprehensive review of An Bord Pleanála is under way. A draft report has been issued. The Office of the Planning Regulator, with access to external expertise, is looking into the operational duties of the board. There has also been a strong increase of 25% in the capital funding going into An Bord Pleanála to ensure that it can deliver the €165 billion worth of public infrastructure needed to transform communities throughout the country.