Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I agree with Deputies Ó Broin and Danny Healy-Rae. The Minister does want to do this. He wants to take away the embarrassment from his own backbenchers and future Government backbenchers by supporting this kind of legislation. I will not be voting for this because it would be like turkeys voting for Christmas.

With the Ceann Comhairle's permission, I will mention the case of Sean Meehan in Tipperary. He is not affected by the strict urban designated pressure areas. He is out in the country in a log cabin. He is facing jail. The judge asked him to reapply for planning, which he did. Lo and behold, he has been refused again today for the same reasons, including that he does not have the social need even though he has lived in that area all his life. He had a legal separation and everything was above board. He bought a site and put a log cabin on it. This was the second case. It was suggested that the planners might agree to a building that was rendered because it would look better. How cement would look better than timber in the country, I do not know. Mr. Meehan has also been refused permission on the basis that his dwelling is not aesthetically suitable and might deteriorate rapidly. At the same time, emergency legislation means that 62 cabins can be built in Clonmel, five or six miles away. This man will be homeless. He is 66 years of age. If we pass this legislation, there will be many more Sean Meehans in urban designated pressure areas. It is outrageous. The councils have no hope of appealing. My own daughter, Councillor Máirín McGrath, tried to raise the issue at a council meeting but was shot down. We will not be able to discuss issues in the Chamber either. This is as serious an issue as the national planning framework and we cannot debate the ramifications of it. We should be having a review of it, first of all, after a period of bedding in.

In the case of Sean Meehan, it is outrageous that he will have to appeal again to An Bord Pleanála and hope and pray that the board will grant him a house. He has been sentenced to prison. He will have to go on the housing list or sleep under the Main Guard in Clonmel. It is an appalling vista in Ireland today. I have raised the issue a number of times with the Minister. He promised he would change the planning guidelines to look after rural planning but he has not done so. It is a shameful situation that Mr. Meehan is facing.

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