Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Given I have the time, as background, this application was made to Sligo County Council more than a year ago. After much discussion and debate, permission was granted. An Taisce and another objector appealed the decision to An Bord Pleanála and the board raised certain issues and refused permission. These issues, which related to landscaping and the colour of buildings etc., were subsequently addressed by the applicant, at massive expense I might add. The man reapplied and Sligo County Council again granted permission, but An Taisce objected, this time alone. One of its objections related to the road. What does An Taisce have to do with the traffic safety of a road? This related to a business that has been in the same place for 25 years, so it was not going to cause much extra traffic. There are no big lorries or anything like that; perhaps one a day at 5 a.m. or 6 a.m. An Bord Pleanála again refused permission.

I do not know why An Bord Pleanála sends an inspector on a 300 mile round trip to investigate a planning application twice, only for faceless people in ivory towers who, at the stroke of a pen, can take a decision that may affect many people for possibly the rest of their lives, to ignore the inspector's recommendation that permission be granted. It is absolutely disgraceful. Furthermore, this man has no recourse except to the High Court, but he cannot go to the Circuit Court, never mind the High Court. This also needs to be examined. Decisions are being made that affect people who, if they want to get redress, have to go to court. They cannot afford to go to court. There should be some body in place that these people can go to, explain their situation and at least be seen to get fair play because at the moment they are not getting it.

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