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A KEY REPORT on alleged planning failures in Donegal has finally been completed after more than two years, but it is not known when the findings will be made public.
The report – which examined about two dozens instances of potentially serious building irregularities in the county – is due to be sent to the housing minister shortly.
In 2010, inquiries were launched into alleged planning irregularities at seven local authorities across the country, including Dublin and Cork city councils as well as Donegal County Council.
An internal review looking at the issue was published by the Department of the Environment in June 2012.
Former Donegal senior county council planner Gerard Convier, who worked at the local authority for over two decades, provided the review with 20 sample cases that he said showed planning irregularities in the northern county.
It was reported that these included a petrol station built without permission and numerous houses built in scenic locations that were in breach of regulations protecting areas of natural beauty.
Convier claimed that many planning decisions were subject to political interference and said that some planning staff who sought to do their jobs properly were intimidated or bullied. The allegations date back to planning decisions that were made in the late ’90s.
Challenge
The 2012 review concluded that there was no proof of wrongdoing at the local authorities.
However, Convier challenged the findings in the High Court, saying that the review was inadequate and did not address many of his complaints.
The review’s section on Donegal was then quashed in 2013, and Convier received an apology and compensation from the Department of the Environment.
In September 2015, senior counsel Rory Mulcahy was appointed by the then environment minister, Alan Kelly, to properly investigate Convier’s claims.
It was hoped that the report would be completed within a few months, however it has now been almost exactly two years since it was ordered.
Finished
The report has finally been finished and has been sent to the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, where it will be assessed before being sent to the department’s minister, Eoghan Murphy.
But Sinn Féin’s planning and housing spokesman, Eoin Ó Broin, said serious allegations like those raised by Convier should be investigated much more urgently.
“It shouldn’t take years to investigate these allegations,” he said.
When someone is make allegations that suggest systemic issues, you would think that the department would investigate quickly to ensure that the people responsible are held to account.
While he said he did not want to make any judgement until the report is published, he added: “I hope the report is published in a speedy manner”.
A spokeswoman for the department said the contents of the report were being reviewed “with a view to preparing a submission for the minister as soon as possible”.
“Legal advice has also been sought in relation to the report. Once the relevant submission and any legal advices have been considered, the minister will be in a position to consider the matter of publication further,” she said.
The spokeswoman declined to comment when the report might be published.
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Written by Paul O’Donoghue and posted on Fora.ie
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Let me guess…. They have learned some important lessons but no one is directly responsible?
@Seth Cheffetz: it was a system failure. That’s what we’ll be told. No one checked what was in the hundreds of brown envelopes. The beautiful areas of Donegal were permanently blighted with indiscriminate building. Nothing to see here.
@Seth Cheffetz: all counties have been effected by un educated councillors & corrupt politicians. In co Kerry the landscape of north kerry changed with the stroke of a pen to an area of no scenic beauty. E.g. Ballybunion according to Kcc LCA .
“Is the landscape important for scenery, tourism or recreation? ” “No” .
When councillors were confronted on matter & why they changed the cdp , one comment was “we didn’t realise what we were doing, we must have been asleep on it ”
A lot of unanswered questions & needs a serious investigation.
Is the absolutely nowhere left in this country untouched by corruption?
@Ronan Sexton: *is there
@Ronan Sexton: it would appear not. And it’s never anyone’s fault. So depressing.
It’s amazing how they can use dodgy and planning in the same line on a report, and you can be guaranteed no one will be held accountable, great country to do business in.
Political interference in such matters should be an offense with proper consequences.
It really is a form of corruption where votes are bought for breaking of protective rules.
In Donegal nothing surprises me, just look at the planning disaster around Bundoran.
Donegal is to Dublin ,as Sicily is to Rome ,a distant place all right for a visit ,but not interested in solving its Corruption problems,it will take a long time before any politician addresses this problem
Visited Donegal a few years ago and was appalled at the blight of one-off housing in many many parts of the county destroying the natural beauty of the area. Clare and Kerry seem to be going the same way too. Its a huge pity
@Daniel Dunne: it’s happening everywhere. Councils are still suffering funding shortages are happy to the thousands they get everytime a one off house is built. It also helps the housing crisis. It will be years before this one off building stops again.
@Daniel Dunne: oh dear did it ruin for view for an hour or so. You do realise people own that land and as far as I’m concerned they should be allowed do as they wish within reason with that land.
Just blame Sinn Fein, sure aren’t they blamed for everything else!
@Paul Mc: Well in fairness that’s one SF are good at. Planning permission was originally turned for my house. We contacted all our local councillors and in fairness it was the local SF guy who stepped forward and worked with us and the council to get the decision overturned. I’m not a big fan of SF overall policies but I will always give that guy my number one because only for him it’s doubtful I’d be living in such a beautiful setting. He really knew his stuff.
@mickmc: I know of a similar case some years ago near where we live, the guy was turned down by the planner to build a house so he got councillors to push it for him. Little did he know why, until he got flooded out as the lake waters came into his house.
@Chris Kirk: oh indeed. No fear of that happening here. I live on the top of a hill. It was more the design of our windows the planner didn’t like as oppose to the house itself. To be fair the planners and the councilor seem to have a good working relationship.
Its
Nod and a wink and whatever your having yourself.
A great way to run a country.
Standards are so low in this country it is frightening.
have your say