Dáil debates

Thursday, 15 September 2022

An Bord Pleanála: Statements

 

2:50 pm

Photo of Paul MurphyPaul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

Yes, these are allegations. The allegation concerning the application made by his sister-in-law concerned a property she co-owns with Mr. Hyde's brother. On 11 May, it was alleged that another board member had voted on at least three planning applications in the Dublin 6 suburb where she lived. One of these was less than 400 m from her home. On 30 May, another allegation was published that she had approved planning permission for a development application brought by one of her company's clients. On 31 May, it was then further alleged that the director of planning, a different person, had signed off on three major housing development applications that had been brought by her husband's clients. One of those was just 500 m from her home. On 2 June, an allegation was made that she had assigned herself to a planning application in her own neighbourhood. On 7 June, it was alleged that a board member had not declared her interest in a successful planning appeal when her architecture company had made the appeal on behalf of her next-door neighbour of 15 years. On 9 June, it was alleged that Mr. Hyde had granted planning permission to a property developer represented by his former board colleague, Mr. Michael Leahy. On 15 June, an allegation was published that he had not declared a conflict of interest when he refused a hearing to a campaign group concerning a flood defence scheme that is now subject to proceedings in the Supreme Court.

On 16 June, it is alleged that another board member voted on a further 15 planning applications in her own Dublin neighbourhood. On 30 June, it is alleged that just two board members refused a challenge against a controversial Intel expansion in County Kildare despite there being a legal requirement for three board members to make such decisions. On 7 July, it is alleged that when considering strategic housing developments, board members only disagreed with each other twice out of 400 applications. On 12 July, it was alleged that two board members were deciding on up to 26 planning cases - a meeting held without a third board member. On 14 July, it was alleged that two more board members voted on at least three developments in their own neighbourhoods. On 14 July, it was alleged that despite there being a legal requirement for three members to determine, again, two people were doing so. On 21 July, it was alleged that Mr. Hyde twice granted planning permission in cases involving his cousin. On 29 July, it was alleged that An Bord Pleanála unlawfully ruled on 65% of cases involving alterations to strategic housing developments, SHDs, fast-tracked with two board members acting. On 5 August, it was alleged that Mr. Hyde granted planning permission to his cousin. On 8 August, it was that alleged another board member voted on at least six planning applications where they lived. On 2 September, it was alleged that the senior counsel set to chair the investigation had recently acted in at least three cases before the planning authority. On 6 September, it was alleged that the chairperson voted to approve a data centre less than a kilometre from his home. On 15 September, today, it was alleged that a board member twice overruled a planning inspector to block 47 apartments less than half a kilometre from her Dublin 8 home.

Our planning system is absolutely broken. We need a new system that allows affected communities - housing groups, trade unions, environmental groups and others - to have democratic oversight and control of planning and development.

The final point I want to make is about the obscene monstrosities of massive electronic billboards being erected outside people's homes, in the case of Rathmines, outside children's bedroom windows, with little or no consultation. Why are we allowing these monstrosities, which are deliberately distracting for motorists and which use as much energy as three households, which are being restricted in France and Germany for that reason, to happen? We simply should not, for environmental and for community reasons, be allowing such monstrosities to be erected.

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