THE PLANNING AND Development Bill, which will see a major overhaul of the planning system, is to go before TDs for a final vote tonight.

At over 900 pages, the bill is the third largest piece of legislation in the history of the State. 

When it was first published last year, Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien described it as the “cornerstone for Irish planning for the coming decades”.

The Bill would introduce significant restructuring and resourcing of An Bord Pleanála – which will be renamed An Coimisiún Pleanála. 

New timelines measures make up part of the restructures, where applications will range from 18 weeks for appeals to 48 weeks for more complex issues.

And under the new provisions, residents’ associations and local community groups will only be able to take judicial reviews if they have a written constitution and then hold a vote among their members.

It also designates liquified natural gas (LNG) facilities as “strategic infrastructure”.

Environmental group Friends of the Earth has called on TDs to vote against the Bill.

It says the Bill “fast-tracks gas imports” and has called for LNG to be removed from the Bill.

In a poll commissioned by Friends of the Earth, and carried out by Ireland Thinks, 55% of respondents said Ireland should not build a terminal to import fracked gas from the US.

Some 27% said Ireland should build a terminal to import fracked gas, while 18% were unsure. 

Friends of the Earth’s chief executive Oisín Coghlan said the said the Green Party has “either took their eye off the ball with the Planning Bill or they don’t mind that the risk of new fossil fuel import terminals”.

Hollywood actor Mark Ruffalo also weighed in on the debate last night and claimed that the “Irish Green Party is about to do something really terrible to the environment and our climate”.

Irish friends, watch this video Alison Oliver and I made about how the @greenparty_ie is about to break its promise and pass a bill to fast-track & prioritise dangerous LNG terminals. Then sign & share the petition telling them to stop it and ban LNG! https://t.co/1TugQGHGoY pic.twitter.com/lhJVZUWpEo

— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) October 8, 2024

“They’re trying to jam through a Bill to fast-track building LNG terminals that would import fracked gas from the United States,” said Ruffalo.

Ruffalo added that the Green Party “promised the voters that they would stop the import of fracked gas and LNG when they joined the coalition government in 2020”.

Meanwhile, Coghlan said “the Greens went into Government saying they would stand firmly against the importation of fracked gas”.

But he said the Planning Bill “seems set to undermine that significantly, and risks putting their legacy in Government in grave risk and in tatters”.

“You don’t legally designate something you oppose, or aren’t sure we need, as strategic,” added Coghlan.

“The contradiction is so absurd it feels like the Government is gaslighting us.”

Elsewhere, a protest will take place at noon today calling on the Government to “change policy on building of LNG terminals”, with a particular focus on the Shannon LNG.

Last week, the High Court overturned a decision by An Bord Pleanála to deny permission for the construction of the Shannon liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in north Kerry. 

The plans can now be resubmitted to An Bord Pleanála.