Jackie Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)

I wish to seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 31 to debate an urgent matter, namely, the fact that the planning process in County Kerry is being interfered with and hampered by a small number of serial objectors who use the appeals system to hurt people against whom they have a personal vendetta; the need for anyone objecting or appealing a planning decision to prove that the proposed development would have a detrimental affect on themselves or property they own; the need to balance the rights of everybody as part of the debate on this very complicated matter; the fact that objectors often live 70 or 80 miles from the location in respect of which the planning permission has been applied for — in some instances, objections have been made by people living as far away as the United States of America; and the need for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to take some action to put a stop to this practice, for example by increasing the fee for making appeals to at least €1,000 to bring an end to this unwanted blackguarding.

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