As a member of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage Mary is undertaking pre-legislative scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large Scale Residential Development) Bill.

The LSRD legislation will introduce a two stage, a maximum 32-week time limited planning process. One of the main aspects of this Bill which will end the SHD process, is the restoration of the local planning authority role in the decision-making process. Submission of planning applications for such developments which were submitted directly to An Bord Pleanala will now be submitted to the local authority.