Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

While Senator McCarthy is correct, a cogent reason exists for not accepting the amendment, tempted as I am to do so. At present, An Bord Pleanála only requires the payment of a fee where a public representative acts to make a submission or appeal in his or her own right. If the representative is simply supporting someone else's case, a fee is not required under the current system.

This amendment would result in the majority of objections being made through public representatives. I am aware Senator McCarthy does not intend that consequence from his amendment. A number of years ago, I wrote a scathing article about the British ombudsman system, which effectively requires people to make submissions through public representatives. While that is not the intention of the Senator's amendment, it would be the effect. The Senator's intention is simply to ensure that public representatives do not go broke by doing their jobs but the amendment plays into a gombeen mentality which we should have left behind.

By requiring a fee only in circumstances where representatives are acting in their own right, An Bord Pleanála is more progressive than some local authorities which have used this device to prevent local councillors from making reasonable submissions and comments. Many of my fellow elected representatives would prefer not to pay the fee under any circumstances but the current system of public engagement would be distorted if it was excluded in its totality. I have given some consideration to this amendment but am not disposed to accept it.