Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

Scéal náireach agus scanallach atá nochtaithe sa mbinse fiosrúcháin maidir le caimiléireacht i gcúrsaí pleanála i mBaile Átha Cliath. Níl aon dabht ach gur truaillíodh go dona an próiseas pleanála sa gcondae ag lucht mór tógála agus comhairleoirí chondae ó Fhianna Fáil agus, corruair, ó Fhine Gael chomh maith. Fáiltím roimh an méid go bhfuil an lofacht tughta os comhair an tsaoil agu tá fadhbanna móra anois ag baint leis an mbinse maidir le chomh fada agus atá sé ag dul chun cinn agus chomh costasach agus atá sé do lucht íochta cánach agus caithfear na fadhbanna sin a réitiú.

The third interim report of the Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments correctly labels as corrupt payments made to procure decisions which would enrich landowners and developers. In the planning tribunal the veil has been lifted just a little on the insatiable greed driving some officials, many developers and many politicians from the right wing parties. In 1997, there was a mood among the Irish people to have an investigation into this corruption in planning. Seven years later, however, there is growing cynicism and weariness about the long drawn-out nature of the tribunals and the huge costs to the taxpayer. When we now speak of tribunal millionaires, we do not mean the wealthy developers and business people who have to explain themselves to the tribunal but also a group of lawyers who have become millionaires through the level of fees which they have been awarded, many of them from taxpayers' funds.

In the 1980s and 1990s, corruption was endemic among some of those who had key roles in the planning of the greater Dublin area. Corruption was rife in particular at the murky interface where developers dealt behind closed doors with councillors from Fianna Fáil and many from Fine Gael. I believe that it was known at all levels of those parties that this corruption existed but neither the leadership nor anybody else associated with those parties moved to root out this corruption. How serious is Fianna Fáil about the issue of corruption when developers are seen explaining payments and murky dealings before the tribunal in Dublin Castle and an hour later, following a helicopter trip, they can be seen moving comfortably around the Fianna Fáil enclosure at the Galway races, treated apparently with the same respect by Fianna Fáil Ministers as are the owners of million euro stallions, which they continue to exempt from tax?

There is still a sickening double standard and hypocrisy on the part of the establishment in this State with regard to corporate corruption. While a few prosecutions have been mounted for planning corruption, the shadow of a garda has never fallen on the plush carpets of the boardrooms of the major banks in connection with the systematic taxation fraud in which they engaged, amounting to €1 billion or more. Much less has the hand of a garda touched the collar of a director or chief executive of one of those banks. By contrast, however, 22 working class people found themselves jailed last autumn within days of mounting a peaceful protest against the dishonest stealth taxation policy of the Government through refuse taxes.

Those involved in corruption must be swiftly exposed and brought to book. The root of corruption, speculation and building land, must also be dealt with by bringing building land into public ownership and rooting out speculation. Furthermore, the terms of the licensing of companies for oil and gas exploration must be investigated in the context of the role played by the former Minister, Mr. Burke. There must be an explanation for why the fabulous natural wealth off our shores has been given to major multinational corporations for nothing as a result of the changes Mr. Burke engineered.

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