Maybe Trump could help people in rural Ireland with their planning applications

SIR, While trying to engage in humorous banter with President Trump as the world media watched on, it is incredible to think that our Taoiseach once again showed up all that is wrong in Irish politics in that the wealthy and those in high positions hold priority above everyone else.

Even though he somewhat innocently described his involvement in apparently assisting a world leader and a multi billionaire on a planning issue, it just shows that our leaders have learned nothing from our past planning tribunal and other tribunals that cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of euro regarding underhand dealings in this country involving politicians and other wealthy individuals, dealings which led to the financial downfall of this country and which led to so much financial hardship for the ordinary people of this country.

There are many communities around the country who have publicly declared their strong opposition to wind turbines in their areas but have not been successful in their objections. However, President Trump, a non-citizen of this country, was successful in his objection. It ought to be remembered that he was already gifted his County Clare golf resort for €7 million – €8 million after its value was written down from over €80 million, thanks to the Irish taxpayer. This was followed up with a red carpet being rolled out for him at Shannon airport by our government, ever before he even ran for the presidency. This is treatment that is usually reserved for visiting dignitaries and not private citizens, which he was at the time.

It seems ironic that this wind turbine development was refused planning permission when the present government is so focused on establishing green energy. Of course if the developer of this wind farm seeks and is successful in any future compensation claim, it will be the good old reliable tax payer who will have to foot the bill once again.

Of course, unlike some of those investigated in past tribunals, no one is suggesting that any financial gain accrued to our Taoiseach in this latest revelation. However, it serves to highlight the continued questionable dealings at the top of Irish politics which appear to benefit a certain cohort of individuals to the cost of the rest of us.

Even though he has since tried to distance himself from exerting any influence in this planning decision, it would appear that our Taoiseach initially tried to gain some kind of credit for it in order to pathetically gain favour with President Trump, while also extending an invitation to him to visit this country. All this in itself seems somewhat contradictory as he originally opposed any invitation to President Trump visiting this country. Prior to travelling to the US Leo Varadkar claimed that he would challenge the president on a number of issues, but this did not seem to materialise either.

It seems rather laughable that Fianna Fáil are now jumping on the bandwagon, criticising Leo Varadkar for his declared involvement in this planning process when it was some of their elected members who were at the centre of the planning tribunal and who were alleged to have had corrupt dealings and to have gained financially from such dealings.

While this planning controversy goes on, we continue to see great difficulty being experienced by some of our own people in rural Ireland who are being put through the wringer seeking planning permissions to construct their individual dwellings. Maybe in future they could ask the great Donald to intercede for them in the process, since he appears to have some influence. Sincerely,

Christy Kelly, Templeglantine.