Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I highlight the recent decision of the Supreme Court to dismiss an appeal concerning the Apple data centre. A decision was issued by An Bord Pleanála in August 2016 and it has taken until now to have an appeal dealt with. Even though the appeal has been dismissed, the appellants have won because Apple has left. The Athenry area has been deprived of an €850 million development which potentially would have been followed by the development of further data centres. This case clearly shows that there is a problem with the planning process and that it is not fit for purpose. If we are serious about delivering and developing major investment and infrastructural projects, we need to do an awful lot better. The decision is very poor consolation to the people of the Athenry area, the vast majority of whom were in favour of the development. It also points to the fact that if another Apple was to arrive on the scene tomorrow, the same fate could await it. Absolutely nothing has changed in the planning process which is not fit for purpose. Perhaps even the way An Bord Pleanála handles these matters is not fit for purpose. A review of the operation of An Bord Pleanála was ordered. It was conducted and a series of recommendations were made, but we have heard nothing about their implementation. I would like the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, to come before the House, as this is a very serious matter. We have positioned Ireland as a small open economy to attract this type of tech industry, but we cannot facilitate it. Apple is already up and running with a second data centre in Denmark, which speaks volumes.

In February the High Court delivered a judgment on European sites and lands designated as special areas of conservation. While the decision might be helpful in clarifying what can be developed on designated land, it actually states An Bord Pleanála cannot take mitigation measures into account.If one can engineer one's way around an environmental problem, it is not good enough. What are we to do on the western seaboard where a massive amount of land is designated? We want to build roads. It is already costing us millions and delays. I ask that the Minister be brought in because these are fundamental questions. Unless they are addressed, we will go nowhere with Project Ireland 2040 and redressing the imbalance in the country.