An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
Seanad Éireann — 2023-11-07
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Fiona O'Loughlin (FF), Administrative Panel

On the phone. Otherwise, you have to basically use ChatGPT to try to get a response. I agree. There is nothing more frustrating. Many people have unique questions particular to their situations and they just keep getting, "I do not understand your question" as a response. It is simply not good enough. We will send a call-out to the Minister to try to ensure these offices are available and open to those with queries. Where we are is simply not good enough.
Senator Boyhan spoke about the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage coming to the debate today and about the issue of planning with An Bord Pleanála. I agree that we need to know when and where this will be initiated. The Minister has given significant extra resources to An Bord Pleanála.
It is most frustrating. Obviously, the Minister cannot interfere, ask about or guide any judgments, etc. but the resources have been given and it is simply not good enough when we see housing and business affected by this. I am thinking of such businesses close to me in Kildare which the country could possibly lose if there is a delay because we have already gone beyond the time of when the decision would be made. This is an urgent situation and we will certainly bring that back to the Minister. That concludes the Order of Business.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2023-11-07/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:52:21+00:00
Sitting date: 2023-11-07