Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thought I asked a very clear question. I asked if the Minister will do something about the wrong being delivered upon people in rural areas. They are being treated the same as the people the Government wants to stop coming out of towns and cities to rural areas. These people were brought up in these places all of their lives. My time is short; I have only two minutes available. When Kerry County Council was putting in place the county development plan last year, the Planning Regulator insisted that the council agree to put the line far out from the towns of Killarney, Killorglin and Kenmare. That denies people from applying for planning permission and gives the planners no hope. I do not blame the planners. How was the Planning Regulator able to give that direction? Who gave him the authority? It is irresponsible of the regulator. I am being fair about this. People do not know where this came from. We did not debate it in this Chamber. The council members debated it and wanted a narrower radius around the towns but they were overruled. Management told them they would have to agree with what the Planning Regulator dictated. Where that direction come from? Who gave him the authority before the development plan in Kerry was formulated last June? Who gave the Planning Regulator that authority? That was not in the previous plan, going back to 2016 or 2017. That direction was not in that plan. It has now been expanded. This only came into place last June. Hundreds of applicants are going to be affected, which means they will be unable to build a house even if they have a site and could get going easily enough with the help of their neighbours and different things. I thought the Minister might address that issue in his answer. I cannot understand where the regulator got this power. We need a forum to discuss these matters.

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