Seanad report:Describing the Planning Board as "a total disgrace", House leader Mary O'Rourke said it would well befit the chairman of the board if he attended to his business.
"It ill behoves the person who can't manage his own emporium to start giving out wise saws about other matters."
Mrs O'Rourke was responding to remarks by Feargal Quinn (Ind), who said that the chairman of An Bord Pleanála had warned that the money being spent on motorways could be wasted within 10 years because of the granting of planning permissions for shopping centres and other businesses alongside them. The chairman had also spoken of only 53 per cent of planning appeals being determined within the 18-week statutory period, said Mr Quinn.
"I assume that could be solved with more money. Whatever the cause, it's something we should be doing more about."
Mrs O'Rourke said it was impossible to make representations to the board.
"They'll take a call, but you'll be told nothing."
She had one case that gone from April to July, July to September, September to October, and now to November.
"I don't mind their decisions, that's their own business. It's their carry-on about the putting back, and putting back, five times put back."
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Accusing Fine Gael of hypocrisy over the provision of social and affordable housing, Minister of State for the Environment and Local Government Noel Ahern said that party wanted to do "shag all" for those needing such accommodation.
Outlining how the Government's housing programme was progressing, he said he found it a bit rich for a party to be criticising the performance on the provision of social and affordable housing when that same party had criticised facilitating legislation when it had come before the House.
Mr Ahern said that Michael McCarthy (Lab) had wondered why progress was not being made in Clonakilty, Co Cork, where land had been provided when Joe Walsh was minister. The truth was that matters were proceeding at a snail's pace, mainly because of the approach of Fine Gael members on Cork County Council.
Maurice Cummins (FG) said: "That's absolutely rubbish. That's why the people gave Fine Gael a majority down there - because you were doing absolutely nothing about it."
Mr Ahern replied: "To look after the building of houses for snobs and not for decent people."
He added that some council members wanted to preserve the image of Clonakilty as a place for scenic beauty and €2 million houses, and who did not seem to give a damn about ordinary people who wanted to buy houses.
This showed the sort of problem that could arise if Fine Gael and Labour got into power, said Mr Ahern.