Outsider planning objectors criticised

A Government backbencher criticised the practice whereby people living miles from the location of a planning development can object to it.

John Dennehy (FF, Cork South Central) said this was one of the "downsides" of the planning laws and people were helpless when confronted by it.

"Somebody living in Donegal or some place can object to a person's application in Kerry, and has the same degree of input on the planning application as someone living next door to the applicant. That is crazy, and it has been abused."

Mr Dennehy said that planning legislation should be reviewed on a five-year rolling basis.

"Compensation for land issues, for example, were dealt with as long ago as 1919 and we are only now catching up with that, in planning for the metro." Mr Dennehy was speaking during the debate on the Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill.

Minister for the Environment Dick Roche said that it allowed for a major streamlining of the existing planning consent process.

Labour spokesman Eamon Gilmore warned that the Bill would fundamentally change the State's planning laws, but not for the better. "If this Bill is passed, major construction projects, including private projects, can be built without having to go through the normal planning process," he said.