Ms O'Rourke:

Our county manager sent a letter to the committee saying that everything in County Westmeath as regards planning is fine but the opposite is the case. I do not want to see rampant development, awful looking houses with verandahs everywhere, but people submit a minimal plan and the planner says it is too large and bedrooms and bathrooms must be removed. The planner would not take a bathroom from his own house.

Ms O'Rourke:

I notice now that the guidelines state that circumstances could also encompass persons whose work is intrinsically linked to rural areas, such as teachers in rural schools. Is that not amazing?