Despite the huge housing emergency, the staffing levels at An Bord Pleanála have been insufficient to deal with appeals. This has caused unacceptable delays and it has caused a huge bottleneck. In the "RTÉ Investigates" report last night, we saw a situation where those delays were disgracefully exploited for financial gain. Go-away money was being demanded couched as consultancy, which really looks more like extortion.

One of the key issues is staff shortages where there is permission to have a complement of 300 staff. Only 40% of the new staff complement has been filled. Will the Taoiseach accept amendments to the new planning Bill that would close off the opportunity to extort money and will he ensure that the recruitment happens as a matter of urgency?

I had a very good meeting with the acting chairperson and the chief planner of An Bord Pleanála only last week or the week before. They have a full complement now of 15 board members. Their staff now is well above 300.

They are starting to get on top of the backlog, which is encouraging.

On the Deputy's question, we believe that requesting go-away money in order to withdraw a planning objection - I have a heard a less polite term for it, which I am sure the Deputy has heard too - but we will stick with that one for now - is already an offence under the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001. However, we are open to considering a specific amendment to the Planning and Development Bill that would make this a specific offence. The difficulty will always be getting sufficient evidence to carry out a prosecution.