Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú) | Oireachtas source

The Government introduced a planning circumvention to allow wealthy accommodation providers to bypass the planning laws entirely for IPAS centres. This totally disregards local communities where no engagement effectively happens whatsoever. I spoke to the owner of the Belmont Hotel recently who told me he was developing a four-star hotel. That was before a leaked document showed the local authority had plans to develop accommodation for asylum seekers. The same is happening throughout the country. It is totally unfair that young couples have to wait years on An Bord Pleanála and planning delays to build their own home but wealthy accommodation providers can bypass the planning laws entirely without any engagement with local authorities. Will the Government end this planning circumvention and apply the laws of the land to every citizen?

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