Sir, - An Taisce has been a prescribed body under the planning acts since 1963. In carrying out its function of protecting Ireland's heritage (including its environment) for future generations for the benefit of all the people, we had become increasingly concerned at the serious allegations of corruption in the planning process.
On many occasions we could not see why a decision was taken unless there were forces at work which ought not to have been there. This situation was not limited to the actions of elected members of Dublin County Council and management but has been a national one. Individual members of An Taisce did their best under the circumstances to bring any corruption out into the open.
Following the recent revelations in the tribunals we would like to make the following comments:
1. Ireland is the only EU country without state financing of an independent critique of the planning process, such as that carried out by An Taisce.
2. The subversion of the planning process is not a victimless crime. All those who dwell in sub-standard housing estates, or sit in traffic jams, or work and play in poor quality environments are its victims. The current inflated price of houses is in part caused by it. In addition, we have lost much of our heritage and our environmental quality because of it.
3. We urgently need a updating of the corruption law to make it more effective against subversion of the planning process. In addition, libel and defamation laws need to be made flexible enough to allow investigation of the practices and procedures of all public bodies in the public interest. If any rezonings are found to be the result of fraud, they should be overturned.
4. Councils should have to publish a list of the expenses provided to their elected members.
5. The tribunal should investigate development levies and waivers in relation to the rezonings in question.
6. As the National Spatial Strategy is two-and-a-half years off, a preliminary report should be published this year in order to reclaim planning for the common good. This country has had enough of developer-led development, rather than development in the public interest.
7. We urge the Minister to change the Planning Bill before the Oireachtas in the light of these revelations. We believe that by imposing a fee to make a comment on a planning application and by excluding people from making appeals to An Bord Pleanala, the Minister is likely to assist those who wish to subvert the process by limiting public involvement in it. We further ask the Minister to make it a requirement that all changes in development plans require a two-thirds majority vote.
8. The Minister should use his power to reinstate the cap on the Quarryvale development which was removed in 1998. - Yours, etc.,
John Ducie, Vicechairman, An Taisce, The Tailors Hall, Back Lane, Dublin 8.