Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The question here is whether An Bord Pleanála is fit for purpose. Is it just another quango of politically-appointed cronies on excessive salaries acting unlawfully and costing the taxpayer millions in legal costs? Why would the Minister allow An Bord Pleanála to carry out an internal review, which in other words means it is investigating itself? How much did the senior counsel Remy Farrell probe into An Bord Pleanála's costs? Cork City Council, Kerry County Council and South Dublin County Council have all passed motions of no confidence in An Bord Pleanála in recent months. Over the last six months, since early April, quite a number of other very serious issues have emerged, including the fact Mr. Hyde overturned the vast majority of the refusal recommendations of his own planning inspectors in approving applications for telecommunications masts over a two-year period. The Irish Timeshas since reported that Catherine Pierse, the Director of Public Prosecutions, has advised the Minister that the report should not be published until the criminal investigation is complete and a decision has been made on prosecution. The Minster should outline to the Dáil whether or not this is the fact in the case. This Dáil debate into the different ongoing controversies that have shaken An Bord Pleanála is critical as these controversies have completely undermined public trust in our planning system. The lack of public trust in Ireland's planning system is a very serious matter and it is now essential that the Minister with political responsibility for the system, namely, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, provides a clear and concise outline of how he is going to deal with all of the issues and equally, restore public confidence in An Bord Pleanála. How can the Minister stand by and do nothing when An Bord Pleanála as an institution is riven with dysfunction?

As we know well, the planning process is a very difficult process for people. It should have been more clear that something like this was going on in An Bord Pleanála for quite a period of time. As previous speakers have said, it is like the old boys' club. It is jobs for the boys. Nod-and-wink situations were going on within the planning authority. Consider the difficulty the young people are in. They are spending thousands and thousands of euro to get planning permission. They are putting in applications and then somebody can appeal that application, as Deputy O'Donoghue was saying, for just €20. That could destroy a young person's whole future. Then you have got to deal with An Bord Pleanála, which is a law unto itself. It has been aided and abetted by the political system instead of being questioned by it. What we have is report after report costing millions and millions and nothing out of it, like we had in the report we had yesterday. The whole process from start to finish must be looked at before we even get to An Bord Pleanála. There are a lot of planning permissions and a lot of difficulties put before people that do not need to be put before them. These are young people trying to get a start in life. I have it down in west Cork all the time. We are constantly dealing with trying to get planning across the line for young people and it is very unfortunate. People are going to banks and trying to get loans and then they look at this codology going on with An Bord Pleanála. What does the Minister think they feel out there? I think many people feel a lot of disgust. It is something the Government has let slip by and it cannot continue to do that.

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