Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will just make my point if the Deputy does not mind. There is not much time and I hope he will be interested in what I have to say. When the development plan for County Louth was being put together recently, I received a complaint from two people who made a submission about their land. They wanted it zoned to build a family home and they very kindly received an invitation from the Sinn Féin Party in Dundalk to attend a Sinn Féin meeting to discuss their planning application. This is the issue which is at the core of planning policy. They had to go to a political party meeting, adjudicated by what they call a chairperson. Deputies and councillors may have been present. The decision would then given to the applicants some days later by a gentleman from Sinn Féin, or some other organisation, knocking on their door and telling them whether or not it was backing them. That should not be happening. It is wrong and it is abuse.

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