Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Deputy McGrath is not looking for a blanket moratorium. We must have a planning system and planning rules in place. A number of cases have been brought to the Department's attention specifically in regard to Tipperary. Tipperary County Council has been asked to look at existing dwellings that are in place and to review the situation there. A review is being carried out in that regard to see if there are ways that we can ensure there is some type of standard for these types of properties. Every back garden in the country cannot have a log cabin. We cannot just set aside planning law for that. I am aware that enforcement orders have been issued by local authorities to people who have been living in these dwellings for many years. In many instances, they have been issued because complaints have been received by the planning authority from other residents in the area. I assure the Deputy that Tipperary County Council has not gone out looking for these dwellings. The enforcement action has been taken on the basis of complaints received. I wrote recently to the chief executive of Tipperary County Council when some of these cases were brought to my attention. I have asked him and his team to review the situation.

The rural planning guidelines are at a very advanced stage of finality. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, is dealing with that matter. I expect the guidelines to be published very soon. They are areas that can be looked at as part of that process. It is important to note that many of the enforcement orders that have been taken have been on the basis of complaints received by planning authorities from other residents in those areas. It is not the case that the local authority has sought to issue these orders with no complaints having been received at all.

See this speech in context