Planning decisions on developments to accommodate thousands of extra tourists and several leisure facilities are expected over the next weeks in Kerry.
The applications, to Kerry County Council and Killarney Town Council principally, were made in December, before the December 31st tax break deadline for hotels, holiday camps and holiday cottages.
Most of the applicants have been asked to supply further information, which has delayed the decision process beyond the normal eight-week period.
They are concentrated in the Kenmare, Sneem and south Kerry area, as well as Killarney, Camp and seaside districts in the west and north Kerry areas and include large-scale extensions of accommodation at some of the area's best known hotels.
The Great Southern Hotel at Parknasilla, the regular holiday venue of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, has submitted three separate applications for holiday homes, holiday apartments and a revamp of the hotel bar area.
It has applied for 38 two-storey holiday homes in a village cluster; 52 holiday apartments, the demolition of the old golf club house and the construction of a new one.
It has also applied for a new 20- metre swimming pool and gym, along with alterations to the bar of the main hotel and 10 extra suites and eight bedrooms.
There is also an application for alterations to the listed Bishop's house, a protected structure, on the grounds of the Great Southern at Parknasilla in order to create room for five holiday apartments.
Sheen Falls Lodge Estate near Kenmare, has applied for 90 holiday units, and a proposed country club at the well known hotel. A tennis court, a multi-purpose archery, falconry and other leisure facilities are also applied for. Kerry County Council has sought further information.
Planning has also been sought for up to eight new hotels in Kerry, including a 65-bedroom hotel at Sneem, a hotel at Templenoe, a 35-bed hotel at Ceann Trá (Ventry) on the Dingle peninsula, and around three hotels in the north Kerry area. Several developments of holiday cottages and suites, in Kerry - in Caherdaniel, Waterville, Kenmare, Kilgarvan, and Killarney - have also been sought.
Under Section 25 of the 2004 Finance Act, an extension of the arrangements for the scheme of capital allowances for hotels, holiday camps and holiday cottages from December 31st, 2004 to July 31st, 2006, was given, provided a full and valid planning application was received by a planning authority on or before December 31st, 2004.
Meanwhile, An Taisce in Kerry has written to all of the 27 councillors in the county, setting out the heritage body's exact function, and refuting allegations that appeals were made for non-planning reasons. This follows ongoing criticism of the organisation over planning in the council chamber.
The majority of An Taisce's letter to Kerry County Council were submissions, not objections, An Taisce has written to councillors.
In fact, most of its 14 appeals to An Bord Pleanála against houses in Kerry last year concerned Section 140 motions (whereby councillors tried to force through planning permission against the advice of planning experts) and some were against multi-residential units, it said.
"Concerns have been expressed that An Taisce may be making appeals for non-planning reasons. This is incorrect and a strict procedure is followed. All appeals are approved by the committee, are signed by designated members only and are made on An Taisce's headed notepaper," it stated.
There had also been confusion about appeals made by members of An Taisce in a private capacity, "as they are perfectly entitled to do like any other member of the public," it continued. These were not made on An Taisce headed notepaper and did not mention An Taisce. "They are not An Taisce appeals, contrary to what has been claimed by certain individuals and organisations."
An Taisce was one of only a number of prescribed bodies making submissions and objections to the county council.