Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy mentioned the Planning Regulator, which is obviously central to our system in checking that the development plans are consistent with the national plans. We have had recommendations from the regulator where voted changes to the development plan have not been accepted. Those recommendations have been followed through in the main by the Minister of State responsible for planning, Deputy O'Donnell, who operates that. I operated that beforehand. That is a really good check and balance. It should be remembered that when we are talking about the regulator, it does not look at local extant permissions with regard to conversion rates. That is at planning authority level. The regulator does not have regard to that. The Deputy mentioned overzoning in some areas. I will not mention a couple of counties but we know a few counties where those lands have been returned and dezoned, and rightly so. From the regulator's perspective and local planner's perspective on the development plan, there were additional lands that might have come into a plan that were not accepted or were in the previous development plan and were taken out. That is absolutely the right thing to do.