‘Unacceptable’: Nearly 70% of planning appeals miss deadline

JUST one third of all appeals brought before An Bord Pleanála are being processed by the legal deadline, Fianna Fáil’s spokesman on Rural Affairs has revealed.

Galway TD Eamonn Ó Cuív hit out at ‘totally unacceptable’ delays within the planning authority’s appeals process, which he says adversely affect Irish communities.

According to figures provided by the Housing Minister in response to a question from Mr Ó Cuív, up to May this year, there were 713 appeals – just 222 of which were actually processed in the legal time limit of 18 weeks set by the Planning and Development Act 2000.

Mr Ó Cuív said that the delays had resulted in the loss of the Apple Data Centre in Athenry, Co. Galway, but added that it was ‘not an isolated incident’ and said that many other projects had also been affected. The €850million data centre was meant to be the largestever investment in the west of Ireland but Apple scrapped the plan in May following years of planning delays.

The tech giant said that it remained committed to establishing projects in Ireland, however. Locals in Athenry were furious at the cancellation as the centre was predicted to create an estimated 300 jobs in the area.

The Fianna Fáil TD said the delays were ‘totally unacceptable’ and criticised Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy for failing to act.

‘Projects, both large and small, are being held up as a result of An Bord Pleanála’s inability to adhere to its statutory obligations and the failure of Minister Murphy to either insist that these targets be met or to allocate the resources to help the board to meet them,’ he said. ‘This Government’s reluctance to address important issues which impact on communities cannot continue and I am urging Minister Murphy to take action to tackle these planning appeal delays.’

An Bord Pleanála had last night not returned a call seeking comment.