For the next two weeks people in Co Mayo will not have access to planners in the planning offices of the county council, due to staff shortages.
Fine Gael TD Mr Michael Ring said: "This is an outrageous situation. There is already a lot of frustration among the Mayo public in relation to having planning decisions processed and this is making matters worse.
"We are being told that from yesterday for the next two weeks the people of this county cannot have access to the planners in Aras an Chontae in Castlebar. It would seem that staff shortages at the offices is the cause of the problem.
"Two student engineers had been employed by the authority over the summer months. These students have now returned to full-time education and the planning office appears unable to cope.
"I am calling on the Mayo county manager to locate and hire staff quickly and to have the embargo on planners lifted for the people of Mayo."
The assistant county manager in Mayo, Mr Alex Fleming, confirmed that the local authority was having difficulties recruiting planners. "This office, like offices nationwide, is experiencing a shortage of qualified staff and the situation is becoming more acute.
"Nonetheless, I can assure the public that the planning offices are open and are dealing with planning applications within the correct time frame.
"Planners will not be available to the general public for the time being but we are trying to deal with the staff shortages."