Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

If the appeals process is taken away, people have no option to go to the courts in circumstances where they have legitimate concerns. The Aarhus Convention requires that people are consulted on planning issues. If we cut the public out of a process, we cannot then criticise people for taking judicial reviews in situations where they feel one is merited. Anybody considering a judicial review would not be going into it thinking he or she will not end up with a cost. It is not for the faint-hearted to go into the High Court. We really should not accept that kind of narrative.