Proposals in the new legislation to charge people a fee each time they object to a planning application could spell financial ruin for An Taisce, a spokesman warned yesterday.
Third-party appeals will not be entertained by local authorities in future unless a £20 fee is paid, according to the new Bill.
But the chairman of the Dublin City Association of An Taisce, Mr Michael Smith, warned that such charges could put his group "out of business" within two months. The association made between eight and 10 planning observations a week, he said. Under the new proposals this could cost them between £160 and £200 a week.
The imposition of the charge seemed to suggest that observations on applications were hindering, rather than helping, the planning process, according to the chairman of An Taisce's natural environment group, Mr Tony Lowes.
On the contrary, he believed An Taisce and other environmental groups often provided local authorities with expertise which local councils did not have.
"We would consider it is bad policy to be charging anybody to make an observation," Mr Smith said.
"It is quite clear that it is the lack of manpower in local authorities and An Bord Pleanala which is causing the delays, and not third-party objections."
The new requirement that An Bord Pleanala accept appeals only from parties who had first made their objections to the relevant local authority would also restrict An Taisce's activities, Mr Lowes said.
"Individuals and community groups often come to us for help only after they have failed at the planning stage, but now we would not be able to get involved," he said.
The Friends of the Irish Environment said the £20 charge was a "crass discrimination between the rich and poor in the planning system".
The FIE said it intended to oppose all the new provisions which restricted citizens' rights to participate in environmental decision-making.
Concert promoters believe that the Republic will become a much more attractive location for major international rock concerts as a result of planning restrictions being lifted under the new Bill.
The organisers of rock concerts and other major outdoor events previously had to apply for planning permission. However, under the new legislation they will only need a licence.
One concert promoter, Mr Eamonn McCann, said the change would mean they would expect to know if they had a licence within four weeks of applying, compared to a wait of up to a year under the current planning laws.