Sir, – The near-daily attacks on public participation in planning – including access to the courts – continue, most recently in Pat Leahy’s opinion piece and the Taoiseach’s comments about the problem with planning (“John Collison has mapped a way out of the Government’s lethargy”, Opinion, November 2nd; “Micheál Martin bemoans planning issues to Stripe’s John Collison”, Cantillon, October 11th).
It is surprising and disappointing that so few have defended the essential role these democratic processes play in our society.
Have we all been gaslit by the construction industry?
Every viewpoint should be heard and considered. That’s exactly what planning officials need to make balanced, informed decisions. People are sometimes told to “put up with things for the greater good” when their concerns are unfounded, because the purpose of planning where and how development should occur is to protect neighbours and the common good, ensure infrastructure spending is efficient, and safeguard nature, clean water, and a liveable climate – the latter issues largely missing from recent commentaries.
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Deregulation and excessive reliance on the market will only extend Dublin’s sprawl and worsen the already horrendous traffic. But will it deliver affordable homes or better lives? Centralising power among a few politicians and lobbyists risks edging towards autocracy. Access to the courts is not an obstacle to progress – it is a safeguard that allows citizens to hold power to account.
As a planning consultant in Co Wicklow, I’ve seen first-hand how public participation strengthens communities. For more than 20 years, my colleagues and I have helped local groups engage constructively with officials and politicians to plan our futures. That’s democracy in action, though the system certainly needs reform and public participation better facilitated.
Local and national institutions require better management and stronger governance – progress is being made in bodies like An Coimisiún Pleanála and the Courts Service, which were a big problem in recent years, but more is needed. The OECD has long pointed to Ireland’s lack of policy coherence in the Civil Service.
Fixing that might move the country forward in a way that facilitates sustainable, low carbon innovation and development, protects public safety, the environment and future generations – and, crucially, restores public trust in Government: blaming the public certainly won’t increase housing supply. – Yours, etc,
JUDY OSBORNE,
Planning consultant,
Co Wicklow.
