This article is from page 13 of the 2008-06-03 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 13 JPG
THE outspoken co-founder of a ru- ral-rights group has told a high level Oireachtas committee that a root and branch review of An Bord Pleanala is needed.
Issuing a plea to the Oireachtas’s Environment Committee to overhaul An Bord Pleanala, Kilbaha-based, Jim Connolly said he didn’t know why Irish society had handed re- sponsibility for major decisions on everything from single houses to gas pipelines and motorways to a group of ten people who were not account- able to anybody.
Demanding that the membership of the board be more representative of Irish society and not top-heavy with planners, Mr Connolly said if planning appeals were decided by a specific and narrow group of profes- sionally trained persons – planners, in this case – it would be a case of planners looking at planners look- ing at planners all the way along the line.
“Such a system would not be in line with what was originally in- tended, regardless of how one views the role of planners. That is why we have suggested this matter be dealt with by means of a root and branch review of An Bord Pleanala which was established 30 years ago when Ireland was different. Everything has
changed since.”
“The standard of housing that ex- isted and still exists throughout ru- ral Ireland is small, cold, damp and substandard in every way. Therefore, people are entitled to modern hous- ing.
“They are new people who can’t get their mortgages. Their hearts are broken because they are being re- fused. From driving around Ireland, some people say they are shocked at houses painted in white, blue, green and so on.
“They should have driven around the country 30 years ago when there was nothing but dereliction and houses falling down.
“What a wonderful thing it is and it lifts my heart to see development in rural areas and to think people are being properly housed at long last in spite of the begrudgers. Our hearts go out to our young people who can- not build.
aU ec Nevevbercm betsy olelkOym sla Wle BLO) KC! Pleanala is on record as saying there should be no housing in the country- side. This statement has huge impli- cations not alone for any element of fair and impartial treatment for cases being appealed, but is also in direct conflict with Government policy.”
“It appears the board is an exten- sion of the Department of the En- vironment which gets whatever it wants,’ Mr Connolly concluded.