Sir, – Since the original publication of the Planning and Development Bill in 2022, the Dublin Democratic Planning Alliance has consistently pointed out the flaws in the Bill, particularly the further disempowerment of local government through the centralisation of virtually all planning power to the Minister of the day and to the planning regulator as the Minister’s enforcer.
The sole purpose of this overcomplicated legislation appears to be to prevent judicial review – access to justice through which power may be held to account – and to centralise power. The false narrative that it is the citizen that holds up development is the single thread that runs through the whole 70-plus pages of and the 1,000-plus amendments to this legislation which has been guillotined through the Dáil and Seanad, without proper scrutiny.
Meanwhile, the existential crisis of climate change will not be addressed by this Bill. Far from helping to solve the issues, it will further delay critically needed infrastructure. We think that for far too long Government has listened more to those who stand to gain financially from the planning system than to those who seek the gains for society. We see this Bill as the end result of what some might term “regulatory capture”. It was never part of the programme for government, it is far too complex for planning our future, and it should either be withdrawn or voted down by the Dáil when it is put to a guillotine vote. – Yours, etc,
ROBIN MANDAL,
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Chair,
Dublin Democratic
Planning Alliance,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.