Sir, – Wednesday’s Dáil debate on the Planning and Development (An Taisce) Bill is deeply concerning. The proposed Bill seeks to remove An Taisce as a statutory consultee under the planning and development regulations, with Mattie McGrath TD, who sponsored the Bill, claiming that would “ensure a more balanced approach to planning and development” and promote economic growth.
An Taisce, Ireland’s oldest environmental charity, with over 500,000 volunteers and members, has been written into the planning regulations as a prescribed body since the early 1960s.
In simple terms, this means when a planning application can impact the environment or built heritage, the planning authorities seek our views on the application.
The role of a prescribed consultee does not grant us decision-making powers. Instead, our role is to ensure the State is abiding by policies it has already signed up to, and to the laws and regulations it is legally obliged to implement. We hold the Government to account for the things it has already agreed to do.
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It’s a role we take incredibly seriously, devoting a large chunk of our time and resources to delivering from an evidence-based and scientifically informed perspective.
Through the prescribed role we function as a de facto environmental watchdog, holding the Government to account in regard to environmental law and policy on behalf of the Irish public.
In contrast to what Mr McGrath claims, the presence of An Taisce is all about balance – a balance between development and sustainability. A mature, well-functioning democracy has nothing to fear from the scrutiny of a body like An Taisce, and we welcome the widely expressed support and appreciation by both Government and Opposition TDs in the Dáil for the important work An Taisce does.
Ultimately, it’s in the public’s interest to know that our precious natural and built heritage is being adequately protected, which begs the question, whose interests are being served by those calling for the removal of that oversight?
We receive no Government funding for this work. An Taisce depends on the generosity of thousands of members and supporters to fund this work, which is all the more critical given the crises all around us for climate, biodiversity and water quality.
We are clear in what we stand for, and why we take the stances that we do. We are fighting for a liveable planet for current and future generations. Are others so transparent? – Yours, etc,
GARY FREEMANTLE,
CEO,
An Taisce – The National Trust for Ireland,
Dublin 2.