Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This would be an historical matter but for the fact that the person concerned was reappointed by the previous Minister and is now deputy chairperson of An Bord Pleanála. In that capacity, he further approved a series of controversial projects promoted by RPS consultants. One involves a large wind farm between Cullenagh and Timahoe, County Laois.

Despite the fact that no cost benefit analysis was conducted and the new, long-awaited planning guidelines were not in place, despite the scale of the project in a scenic location and despite the report and advice of An Bord Pleanála's inspector that the project be rejected, the board went ahead and saw fit to approve it. While I welcome the Minister's commitment to examine An Bord Pleanála, because it has supreme power in planning and appeals, does he agree that there is a conflict of interest in these cases and that it is important that An Bord Pleanála be above vested interests and be seen to be so?

See this speech in context