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Why did Phil Hogan stop 5 seperate planning enquiries?
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Yes much of journalism today is just stenography unfortunately, but there must be some kind of proper investigative journalism surviving today? (even stuff done on a non-profit or volunteer basis, even just blogs)
If there truly isn't anything of the sort, I wonder how difficult it would be to set up something like that as a non-profit; everyone can see it's sorely needed, and I'm sure there are people who would be willing to expend some personal time voluntarily, to investigate some of these issues.
I mean, not far fetched to think that the experience and reputation gained from that, could get you work from an overseas journalistic outlet to publish with them; I'd imagine the Guardian wouldn't be a bad one to look to, as they do have some journalists focusing on Ireland.0 -
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KyussBishop wrote: » If there truly isn't anything of the sort, I wonder how difficult it would be to set up something like that as a non-profit; everyone can see it's sorely needed, and I'm sure there are people who would be willing to expend some personal time voluntarily, to investigate some of these issues.
You mean some charity, run by volunteers, who would issue reports based on their findings?
*cough* www.antaisce.org
You see what happens, local authorities squeak, the department dodges the issues and says that because 5,000 applications for a domestic house extensions and loft conversions were not appealed to ABP, then the 23 highly questionable decisions the Local Authority made on major developments are not significant as there were 5,000 applications that did not get appealed.
To show what a charade this 'review process' was here is the process they followed.
1. An Taisce and others including TDs made complaints in respect of the councils and provide a comprehensive dossier of questionable planing decisions (Example for Dublin - http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/Planning/FileDownLoad,30481,en.pdf)
2. Council leaders and City/County managers bleat to the press about the role of An Taisce.
3. The Dept of the Env write to the councils "Is this true?"
4. The Councils write back "No, we do a lot of planning. Our planning is good."
5. The Dept says we better take a look, we are coming for a visit next Monday.
6. Councils say "Grand, we will put the kettle on."
7. The Dept investigators get shown a room with lots of planning files "We do a lot of planning you know"
8. Investigators leave and issue a report that says "They do a lot of planning you know"
9. Press gives column inches to City/Council saying "Our planning is great, sure nothing wrong here, no idea why the county is full of ghost estates and the city full of empty tall buildings. An Taisce should be taken out and shot.
In essence, the Department have legitimised compromised planning in the same way that a barrister might argue for that a drunk driver who killed two pedestrians should be let off as he has driven safely for 25 years.
I can see no evidence in this report that the department even opened the planning files concerned. I note then that despite assurances in the report; that Appendix 8 contains detail of the site methodology used, this has not been published. Indeed only Appendix 1 - 4 has been published on the website.
There are some truly bizarre "investigative techniques" used; This from the Planning Review ReportIn April 2012 the Department carried out site visits to each of the seven planning authorities during which in depth discussions were held with senior officials on the issues involved (see Appendix 8 on the principles of site visit methodology employed). On foot of those discussions, planning authorities were asked to respond to a series of specific queries put in writing by the Department. The authorities were also asked, having regard to their practical experience, to make recommendations themselves for the enhancement of the planning system, including in relation to any actions taken by them on foot of lessons that may have been learned in the cases in question.
So Local Authorities are basically asked how would you improve, and then the report makes recommendations based on what the LA say???
Utter, utter whitewash.0 -
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Interesting, thanks... I do not follow this stuff in detail, so it is good to get a synopsis like that.
Is there not room for independent legal action against the local authorities in some cases (where people were directly affected by bad or corrupt planning), and for seeking of whistleblowers within local authorities which can directly uncover specific cases of corrupt planning?
While they can whitewash the overall process with 'internal investigations', uncovering specific instances of corrupt planning and highlighting that, may force a much stronger public and political impetus to act.0 -
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The planning review has effectively let Councils off the hook.
http://www.build.ie/construction_news.asp?newsid=146040Cork County Council welcomes the announcement by Minister Jan O'Sullivan, T.D. that the conclusion of the planning review found no substance in the complaints made by An Taisce against Cork County Council.
In a statement the Council said: "The Planning System is one of the most transparent services provided across the public service which provides for the planning file to be available to all parties.
"Cork County Council has over many years provided a professional and high quality service to all stakeholders who interact with the Planning Service.
"The Council, through its management, staff and Elected Members has always sought to plan for and develop the County in accordance with sound sustainable development principles."
"Everyone who has a part to play in the planning process needs to be mindful that planning is about people, their environment and their current and future needs not about inflexible and predetermined views."
Note the absurd notion of "sound sustainable development principles" at play in Cork County Council and the dig at An Taisce at the end.
Sickening lack of honesty.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAKBMaRHaS4
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