TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR has reacted to the RTÉ Investigates programme aired this week on planning appeals, stating “people seeking money to withdraw planning objections is not acceptable, at all”.
His comments come after RTÉ Investigates programme revealed developers coming up against such issues with serial objectors and multiple objections being lodged to residential and commercial developments across the country.
When asked about the matter in the Dáil today, Varadkar said:
In relation to what we saw on Prime Time Investigates last night, let me be very clear, people seeking money to withdraw planning objections is not acceptable at all.
Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien, the Attorney General and the Minister of Justice Helen McEntee are examining the matter at the moment, the Taoiseach confirmed.
He went on to state that the government believes taking payments to drop appeals is already an offence, listing off the specific legislation.
“Under Section 17 of the Criminal Justice Act, it says, it is an offence for any person who, with the view to gain for himself or another person with intent to cause loss to another makes any unwarranted demand with menaces and we also believe that Section 6 and 7 of the Criminal Justice Theft and Fraud Offences Act may appear and may apply as well.
“So it probably is the case this it is already illegal. Of course, evidence, proving things, is a much harder thing, but perhaps it needs specific provision in the Planning and Development Act. I know that that Minister O’Brien is willing to examine that and work with the opposition on it,” the Taoiseach said.
Labour leader Ivana Bacik signalled her party’s intention to put down an amendment to the planning legislation going through the Houses “seeking to address this practice of manipulation and abuse of the planning system and of the withdrawal of appeals”.
“We would like to ask whether the Government will work with us on this because, clearly, this practice, if it is allowed to continue, will continue to strike a real blow to the confidence in our planning system,” she said.
Sinn Féin’s housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin said the RTÉ Investigates programme raised “some very serious revelations about our planning system”.
“It showed two individuals involved in what can only be described as an appalling breach of that system and who may well be subject to future criminal proceedings,” he said.
“I am sure the Taoiseach agrees that yesterday’s revelations were deeply disturbing. We have no idea how widespread, if at all, they are in our planning system but, clearly, we need to make space at an appropriate time for statements, not just to discuss the matter but for the Government to outline what it is going to do to ensure those responsible at the heart of this programme are dealt with appropriately and that this does not continue to happen elsewhere,” he said.
Varadkar also said he believes that “requesting ‘go away’ money” as it has been dubbed, in order to withdraw any objection, is already illegal under current legislation, however he reiterated that the government is open to considering amendments to the Planning and Development Bill, to make it a specific offence.
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