Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Last Friday, 18 modular homes arrived in Coole, County Westmeath, although there is no planning permission to erect them. There are almost 100 international protection applicants on the site at the moment. Westmeath County Council has said there is no planning permission for these homes and it has issued a letter to the developer instructing it to stop works. If the homes are for international protection applicants, the developer needs planning permission. However, if looking for a loophole in the law, the developer can say they are for Ukrainian families and, if it has an agreement with a Government Department, it will not need planning permission. Will the Taoiseach tell me which it is? Deputies Peter Burke and Robert Troy were on site and stated that the developer does not have an agreement with a Government Department yet Taggart Modular states that it has a contract with the Government for these modular homes. Will the Taoiseach tell me and the people of Coole, County Westmeath, what is the truth? Is it any wonder that good people and communities right across the country are up in arms when there is no communication, engagement or dialogue from the Department? It is turning good people and communities against one other.

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