Opposition and environmental groups have claimed that the Government's proposed fast-track planning procedures would restrict the rights of local communities to participate in the planning process for major infrastructure projects.
The legislation was welcomed by business groups, although they warned that it would have a limited impact unless major reforms were introduced in how the legal system dealt with planning cases.
An Bord Pleanála also moved to reassure communities that the new legislation would not make it easier to obtain planning approval for major projects and that they would continue to undergo a rigorous inquiry process. Environmental watchdog An Taisce said the proposals would "dilute the public's right to participation in the planning process". The local authority planning layer was being removed for large projects it stated, which meant that local communities "will have less time now to react to major applications for landfills, incinerators and other sensitive applications".
Labour Party environment spokesman Eamon Gilmore said the new procedures "will not bring forward a single infrastructural project by a single day.
"It will, however, greatly limit the right of the public and of local communities to voice their concerns over major developments. It will also irreparably compromise the independent nature of An Bord Pleanála."
He said there were "unacceptably long delays in the provision of essential infrastructure".
He added that it was a "urban myth" that delays to major projects were caused by planning objections. "Nothing could be further from the truth. Most of the delays in providing infrastructure are to due to delays in decision making at Cabinet level, design, land acquisition and bad management by Government."
Fine Gael environment spokesman Fergus O'Dowd welcomed the Bill but said the "total absence of judicial reform will still see planning applications subject to inordinate delays". He said it was "particularly disappointing" that the legislation made no attempt to equip planning bodies with the necessary expertise to "help restore public confidence in the planning system".
Green Party Environment spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe described the Bill as "an attack on local democracy" which "will do little or nothing to speed up the planning process".
"The main planning delays to major projects are due to High Court challenges and poor quality applications in the first instance. The Bill does nothing to remedy these failings."
Business lobby group Ibec welcomed the legislation but also called for legal reforms to be implemented as soon as possible.