Eamon Scanlon (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Gallagher. Like other speakers I welcome the Minister's initiative to facilitate rural people to get planning permission in their home areas. I believe this will make a difference. As Sligo County Council had difficulties in recent years, we established a five-person committee to review our county development plan to make it somewhat easier for local people to get planning permission. In addition to local people and farming families, it was also important to look after farmers finding themselves in financial difficulty to allow them to sell sites to get out of financial trouble or to upgrade their farms or milking parlours to allow them to stay in business. We have implemented much of what is proposed in the new guidelines into our county development plan. While this has worked well, it was not enough, because in the event of an objection, An Bord Pleanála was able to refuse, as it did not conform to national guidelines. The Minister's proposals will resolve thatproblem.

It is wrong that someone living 30 or 40 miles away has a right to object to those seeking planning permission to build a house for themselves and their family. It should not be acceptable to object unless the planning application has an effect on the objector's property or home. I am aware of two cases, one a small housing scheme with six houses and the other a single house, where the county council had granted planning permission and the inspector from An BordPleanála agreed. However, the board of An Bord Pleanála refused to grant permission. If the board takes the trouble to send an inspector to review a planning application and the inspector recommends granting permission, I cannot understand why the board should overturn that decision. They are faceless people, probably not based in the county, who have not seen the sites and may not know where they are.

In response to what Senator John Phelan said, Sligo County Council has applied development charges of €2,000 for water services and €2,000 for sewerage services, and a €800 development charge.