Fianna Fáil TD for Laois-Offaly, Barry Cowen, has claimed that Ireland’s international business reputation is being damaged by uncertainty around planning legislation.
The former minister for agriculture said that “a guillotine” needs to be applied to judicial reviews on planning applications.
The comments come as an application has been made in the High Court seeking permission for a judicial review into An Bord Pleanála’s decision to grant permission to the Banaghar Chilling meat processing facility.
In June, the board granted planning permission for the €40 million plant in Co. Offaly, subject to 15 conditions.
It came almost two years after Banagher man and self-described “lifelong environmentalist” Desmond Kampff and co-appellant, Gwen Wordingham, who also lives in Banagher, lodged an appeal against Offaly County Council’s decision to grant planning permission for the proposed plant.
In legal documents lodged in the High Court, Kampff and Wordingham explained that they are “critically concerned” at the potential environmental impacts from the proposed meat processing facility.
They allege that the decision by An Bord Pleanála breaches the Water Framework Directive and surface water regulations. The case is due to return before the court in November.
Planning reform
Deputy Barry Cowen claimed that Ireland’s international reputation as a centre for business is being damaged by the uncertainty of its planning laws.
“Investors and multinationals can have no confidence about when a project will come to fruition due to our outdated and anarchic planning laws.
“The last government and this one has been promising reform but the country waits like Godot for actual change,” the Fianna Fáil TD said.
Cowen called for a review of planning legislation by the Attorney General to be published immediately, with the government then indicating how it intends to proceed.
“It should then do it as a matter of extreme urgency once the Dáil resumes in September or sooner if needs be to have the time and space to process legislation vital to the country’s reputation.
“This saga with the Banagher meat plant follows the two-year planning battle on the Glanbia plant that continued until the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal after another prolonged process.
“Planning needs reform. It has been talked about endlessly and the time for action has come,” Cowen concluded.