Hello An Bord Pleanála

72sheep

Our housing situation is a national disgrace and is the main reason SF are polling so strongly. In the midst of this, ABP have been capably supporting institutional grade money (REITs) with build-to-rent, co-living schemes,.. Indeed they've publicly flexed their muscles overruling decisions even by their own experts. Less obvious is the steps they're taking to support affordable housing.

Now we have these reports of ABP deputy chairman, Paul Hyde, performing advanced gymnastics relating to his own personal property portfolio that intersect with his professional ABP responsibilities. He saw no need to declare these interests and it's indicative of our political culture that he's assessed this to be an acceptable risk. ABP are keeping schtum on this for over a week now and so he may be right! It must be demoralising for the rest of the ABP team to work in this type of environment

Is it too much to hope that IT/Indo/RTE admit this is a story of national interest? Dare we dream that any investigation might identify consequences other than "lessons have to be learned"? 

Links: https://www.ontheditch.com/multiple-high-court-cases-defaulting-property-loans/ https://www.ontheditch.com/abp-deputy-chairperson-failed-to-declare-family-company/

Ubbquittious

An bord Planawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwlah!

Sleeper12

The government sold out the country with the fast track planning process. Time & again ABP have been brought to court to be told that they have acted in an illegal manner by granting permission.

Whatdoesitmatter

More suited to Current affairs forum

72sheep

Well-crafted open letter from Village magazine to ABP on this matter: https://villagemagazine.ie/34582-2/

Summary state of affairs: Housing crisis in Ireland for 10+ years. ABP Deputy Chairman is a close personal friend of a senior FG politician. ABP Deputy Chairman has an awful lot of explaining to do based on the allegations made so far. ABP Deputy Chairman - and ABP itself - are still trying to pretend this is a non-issue over a week later. Irish media still not acknowledging this might be a story.

Suddenly the entertainment for the Easter weekend is looking up :-)

bigmac3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118929185#Comment_118929185

This is excellent, can’t wait to see the fallout here.

72sheep

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/munster/arid-40853522.html

Irish Examiner ran the story and ABP still ignoring :-) In Ireland this level of (alleged) corruption is unnoteworthy and so there's a very good chance ABP will be permitted to do so.

RTE/IT/Indo in some situations choose to consider housing as a luxury that not everyone should expect. Instead they're probably now drafting public service stories about racism based on the quantitative data from the iReport app (the 2022 version of Leo's lovely 'dole cheats, cheat us all' assault).

72sheep

https://villagemagazine.ie/dr-jekyll-an-bord-pleanala-and-mr-paul-hyde-by-michael-smith/

"If the issue is not dealt with properly Village will organise protests highlighting ABP’s regressive approach" - Perfect :-) A nice little protest will highlight both ABP's and RTE/IT/Indo's arrogance in attempting to ignore these detailed materials documenting (alleged) corruption by ABP Deputy Chairman.

Fallout2022

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118926892#Comment_118926892

He's put up notice of posting the topic there and there's five weeks for objections and submissions.

72sheep

https://www.ontheditch.com/abp-deputy-chair-granted-permission-brothers-controversial-development/

Bravo, this is public service journalism. Tragically many Irish people will refuse to acknowledge this as they're so repressed. And of course, the IT/Indo/RTE will tonight be desperately trying to deflect this as more SF "fake news". Make no mistake, they detest reporting on home affairs and many an IT editor's career has ended on those rocks.

But this is something for the everyman to savour for the weekend.... FFG will have to either (a) forfeit lots of goodwill to try to save Hyde or (b) let him be savaged in public and then try to save Simon C.

Always remember, they are laughing at us.

Ubbquittious

They should just be disbanded. We think we need planning rules and authority but really all they do is drive up the price of housing and by extension the price of just about everything you buy.

Their main purpose is to enforce an artificial scarcity of buildings so people have to run on the treadmill like mad in order to be able to afford a roof over their head. This is what keeps the economy going, get rid of ABP and their stupid rules and watch life become a whole lot easier !

72sheep

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/bord-plean%C3%A1la-official-informs-board-of-undeclared-conflict-of-interest-1.4871570

The IT now begin their "coverage" so that they can facilitate the cover-up. This article makes it sound like Hyde is voluntarily coming forward with this information. It also starts to establish that the wife is in the habit of using her maiden name without any attribution. This is the very definition of fake news. lol.

(The flabbergasting entitlement of that couple though! Both Dublin City Council and an ABP investigator required a reduction in size of the master bedroom. However they were able to escalate their house extension concerns to the highest authority in the land. His brother then led that meeting and summarily struck out the size restriction.)

Trigger Happy

Down with this sort of thing.

Have we an ethics watchdog to oversee state boards and charities....its desperately needed,the apathy to the subject of thread, is depressing and shouldnt be so glaring

emo72

Become the 51st state of the USA. Feds come in. Civil service **** itself. There's some arrogant bastids like Watt and co laughing all the way to the bank

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119031685#Comment_119031685

https://www.sipo.ie/acts-and-codes/legislation/ethics/

https://www.charitiesregulator.ie/en

SIPO is the relevant body for State Boards and the Charities Regulator for charities.

Snip. too much information given in anger

72sheep

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/oireachtas/bord-plean%C3%A1la-must-be-beyond-any-perception-of-inappropriate-behaviour-martin-1.4875741

So all of a sudden our caring FFG govmt is not satisfied with the level of litigation being taken against ABP. The ABP have lost 93% (37 out of 40) of all cases taken against them - wow! That is the very definition of gross incompetence. Now if you or I had this employment performance record we’d be fired immediately. But this is the Irish FFG govmt + civil service so let’s watch as they try to offer up Paul Hyde and leave as many others on ABP board in situ.

(For pure entertainment closely observe the IT in coming weeks desperately trying to appear to having "played a straight bat” on this. The IT clearly did not notice anything untoward when ABP had “only” lost 36 from 39 court cases. Perhaps they were waiting for the 37th tax funded failure but The Ditch beat them to the scoop.)

72sheep

https://twitter.com/wereontheditch/status/1525167918098546689

The Ditch keeping the pressure on very nicely. Highlights how rarely (ever?) we see see this type of public interest reporting by the IT. Of course they're too busy telling the "lickle people" how to think rather than holding the powerful to account.

72sheep

https://www.ontheditch.com/edits-abp-inspector-report-development/

https://www.ontheditch.com/people-have-issue-homes-being-built/

https://villagemagazine.ie/17-gilford-park-a-case-study-in-irelands-dubious-planning-and-enforcement-processes-paul-hyde-who-was-one-of-two-bord-pleanala-members-who-awarded-the-planning-permission-to-his-brother-st/

This story is the gift that keeps on giving...

More evidence of ABP bending over backwards to facilitate the build-to-rent overseas funds. The scummy pwoper-taaayyy developers talk about how these schemes bring "much needed product volume” to the market and their wanker banker friends will talk about “much needed liquidity”. Shamefully our politicians and media are also increasingly using this pseudo-consulting-speak. This is all just a way of avoiding the question: why does ABP not prioritise support for development of properties that citizens can buy?

Meanwhile ABP does find time to overrule objections so it can approve Stefan Hyde’s garage extension. Stefan is the brother of Paul Hyde, ABP deputy chairman. There should probably be a new thread speculating how a Cork guy, with a square-shaped head, ended up being called Stefan ;-)

72sheep

https://www.ontheditch.com/darragh-obrien-refuses-to-comment/

Dear IT, 

Please explain to me how this is all fake news. 

Yours sincerely,

#maybetheitcouldinvestigatesomethingsometimequestionmark

#dontwantendlesscommentaryfromcommentatorslikefintan

#dontwantanymorefreenytarticles

#begrudgingirishracistundereducatedscum

72sheep

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40883087.html

"Of the 20 applications made by Eir across the country for which a recommendation of refusal was made by the planning inspector, Mr Hyde was involved in 19, every one of which was approved."

Hyde is consistently overruling his own inspectors. This means that either all the inspectors are incompetent or Hyde has different incentives. It also means ABP governance is so absent they don't notice or care. Having said that, they didn't seem to notice that they lose all their court cases either.

What a shameful situation for FFG, especially today when we've been hearing about record numbers of homeless.

Kermit.de.frog

On the contrary ABP has one task now - and that's to deal with NIMBY's who are consistently trying to block supply. That's what they have actually been doing which is great to see. The councils are unable to stand up to that. Otherwise nothing would be being built because of the "i'm alright jack" types.

Whatever about the other stuff above.

72sheep

https://www.ontheditch.com/abp-planning-director-signed-applications-husbands-clients/

More ABP insider dealing. They're not even trying that hard to hide it either, they must know there'll be no repercussions. The end is in sight with the coming election but it's going to be smash 'n grab by this lot all the way up to it :-)

72sheep

And more...!!

As I said, these ABP staff act like there's absolutely no risk in getting caught. And they're probably right, lol. It'll be smash 'n grab season until SF get in :-)

https://www.ontheditch.com/abp-director-assigned-herself-case/

https://www.ontheditch.com/abp-chair-blocked-release/

72sheep

Surprise, surprise. FFG are desperately trying to conjure up a reason as to why publication of the report would be against the public interest. LOL. Meanwhile the responsible Minister Darragh O’Brien (suspiciously another person with a square-shaped head!) has been busy up to tricks with the law for FFG.

Those IT Assoc. Editors are going to have to brush up their articles about the importance of trust - after all Irish citizens are the most "trusting" in the known universe ;-)

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40901735.html

The (alleged) stories of "best practices" at ABP just keep coming...

https://www.ontheditch.com/abp-deputy-chair-didnt-declare-another-conflict/

https://www.ontheditch.com/abp-board-member-voting-rathmines-neighbourhood

ILoveYourVibes

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058241711/hello-an-bord-pleanala

Dear Op I would like to sincerely thank you for bringing this to our attention or at least my attention. I thank you.

ILoveYourVibes

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119127357#Comment_119127357

But this is about ABP blocking permissions is it not?

72sheep

Further (alleged) "best practices" on display at ABP. Ah well, sure it's only housing ;-)

https://www.ontheditch.com/abp-board-always-agree-shds/

https://www.ontheditch.com/two-abp-board-members-voted-disputed-development/

72sheep

Paul Hyde gone. Now let's see if FFG try to blame him for all ABP's (alleged) shortcomings - see list above. Surely the Chairman and rest of the organisation could not be so inadequate and dysfunctional that they were derailed by a single person!?!

Hopefully FFG, in their grace, will again decree that the whistleblower - aka public service journalists - will not face prosecution.

What a coincidence that the Remy Farrell investigation concludes just after the Dail summer recess begins #somuchcare #ffgwillsortouthousing #sortitoutforwhom?

https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/housing-planning/2022/07/08/paul-hyde-resigns-from-an-bord-pleanala-following-allegations-of-conflict-of-interest/

72sheep

FFG are at it again. "It" being again attempting to sneak in last minute changes to legislation - this time related to planning. And only three weeks after Darragh was called out for his last-minute amendment to the Electoral Reform Bill. We foolishly expected they'd be so ashamed they'd attempt to cover over the serious looking "lessons will need to be learned" scenario boiling up at ABP and maybe even try some reform. But No! Let's just change the law so that the public have less visibility into how ABP are operating.

Right before Dail summer recess. Right before Remy Farrell findings. Right after ABP Chairman resigns and ABP are having to review hundreds of past decisions. Right in the middle of a housing crisis. So right when everyone in the country is watching them the FFG decision thought-process is: "We will 100% definitely get caught if we try to change this, ah what the hell, let's do it anyhow as there's nothing the public can do anyhow". LOL!

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/politics/arid-40915802.html

72sheep

Today we have ABP Chairman (Dave Walsh) in front of Public Accounts Committee answering to the crowd that are trying to introduce legislation that would make the ABP less accountable to the public. Meanwhile The Ditch has new info about the (alleged) tricks that Dave himself has been up to. If true then it's no wonder ABP has so many problems when its own Chairman does not know the regulations or considers them optional.

The Ditch also has a new article detailing (allegedly) how only two ABD board members, when 3 are mandated by legislation, decided on 26 planning cases at a single meeting. Look at how hard they are working for us ;-) #SFaredefinitelytoblame #letsarrangeaparadewithflags #somuchcare

https://www.ontheditch.com/abp-chairperson-determined-case-without-third-board-member/

72sheep

Excellent article from Cianan Brennan summarises the possible deficiencies of the multiple overlapping ABP reviews and sets expectations that we should only expect a "lessons have been learnt" moment.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/commentanalysis/arid-40928888.html

72sheep

Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien is toiling tirelessly on our behalf and has called in the AG to check that it's safe for us to see the report. Meanwhile - see below - it just goes on and on and on!

https://www.ontheditch.com/hyde-approved-development-son-fine-gael-senator/

72sheep

And yet more (alleged) going's on's.

And remember the scope of the Housing Minister's investigation only included cases involving the since departed Deputy Chairman. Of course ABP are also conducting an internal investigation but the Chairman was already recently before the Dail Committee and steadfastly refused to concede there was anything to apologise for!

And as a result, we get last Sunday's survey indicating that 10% of the population are concerned about government corruption. The IT need to learn the public better so that they can comprehend that the international money markets have already solved housing :-)

https://www.ontheditch.com/abp-board-member-appeals-neighbourhood/

72sheep

Did Cian maybe get a tip-off that our Housing Minister is soon to release a statement attempting to whitewash this issue??

Worded something like: "the review highlighted areas for improvement, which we welcome, but nothing that requires further investigation" [...] "housing continues to be an area of focus" [...] "ABP are diligently reviewing to ensure that their incredibly high ethical standards have always been upheld" [...] "ABP are proud to introduces even higher ethical standards" [...] "the government is satisfied that ABP team, including the ex-Dep. Chairman, are all gents" [...] "the Housing Minister is also a gent" [...]

https://www.irishexaminer.com/business/arid-40938062.html

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119027121#Comment_119027121

i dont think you really understand what ABP does

72sheep

The DPP's up again :-) God willing she will, again by her grace, determine that On The Ditch should not be prosecuted for making the public aware of what's been going on. LOL.

https://www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/2022/08/15/fate-of-senior-an-bord-pleanala-official-paul-hyde-now-rests-with-dpp/

72sheep

Mick Clifford recently on The Stand rightly calling into question how ABP Chairman, Dave "Classics" Walsh, can be allowed to remain in situ. Let's see!

72sheep

Nothing surprising about this at all...

https://www.ontheditch.com/senior-counsel-abp/

72sheep

ABP Chairman, Dave "TCD Classics" Walsh, nonchalantly dismisses the idea there might be ethical concerns about his voting on a €350M Amazon site that's only 900m from his house. It makes you wonder what ABP considers best-practice and so the remit of the internal investigation that Dave has instigated. Go on Dave, say sorry ;-)

https://www.ontheditch.com/abp-chair-voted-neighbourhood/

Ten of Swords

Mod - you've been bumping this thread for months now but it dpesnt appear that theres any actual conversation being had, just article after article

If there's nothing to discuss I'll be closing it soon

72sheep

ToS, can't we wait for the punchline from the Minister's investigations?

(This ABP story would be fascinating even if we weren't in a multi-decade housing crisis: ABP Deputy Chairman forced to resign, ABP Chairman sees no problem presiding over Amazon planning decisions beside his home, ABP costing tax payers millions because the Courts keep telling them they are making wrong decisions, ABP's policy of not taking minutes at meetings, ABP ignored the reform recommendations from report in 2016 and now ABP has been charged with investigating themselves, where will it all lead...!!)

72sheep

So the Department of Housing has shown its hand! The "Action Plan for ABP" published yesterday specifically indicates that the OPR's findings "are not to be viewed as criticisms of past procedures or performance". So that's that then :-)

(It was widely known that the ABP Chairman's wife works for Department of Housing. No one was surprised then to see this official Government document single out her husband alone for commendation: "Steps have already been taken by the Chair of An Bord Pleanála to ensure that all Board members must now confirm..." )

MOD/ToS: thanks for keeping this open, can close now.

https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/cbdf3-action-plan-for-an-bord-pleanala/

72sheep

(Minister Darragh is up to his usual tricks and so have to take advantage of a still open thread.)

• ABP Chairman adjudicates over planning decisions related to $TRILLION companies on his own road and sees nothing wrong with it. The rest of his team follow that example. See all above for their performance record.
• Minister for Housing, Darragh O’Brien, also sees nothing wrong with it and so publicly instructed the OPR that their findings cannot say anything bad about ABP.
• Minister publicly started laying the groundwork to further reduce public visibility into ABP a few months back (an organisation that already doesn't take meeting minutes!)
• ABP are so incompetent that they lose practically every case taken against them in court. Today the Minister is addressing this by publicly proposing those troublesome independent courts be removed from the process and just let ABP have the final say.

In fairness, you have to admire this Govmt's flagrant disregard for public opinion as they are doing this all very publicly right in front of us! Sure, it's only housing :-)

72sheep

https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2022/10/10/former-planning-board-official-paul-hyde-to-face-criminal-prosecution/

IT covers the story of a (minor) criminal prosecution against ABP Deputy Chairman Paul Hyde. However they have nothing to say about all the other - far more extensive - going's on's at ABP led by their intrepid Chairman Dave 'Classics' Walsh. Also no headlines about the govmt last week publicly instructing the OPR that their "independent" investigation into ABP was not allowed to say anything bad.

It's not all bad news though, through the public service dutifully provided by ABP we have carefully maintained our beautiful country whilst still providing adequate housing for our citizens... Oh hang on... LOL

72sheep

https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2022/11/03/an-bord-pleanala-chairman-to-leave-planning-authority-after-months-of-turmoil-over-work-of-former-deputy/

Both Chairman and Deputy Chairman now gone.

Must be such a relief for the vast majority of hardworking honest people at ABP, an early Christmas present :-)

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119828360#Comment_119828360

Retirement? How old is he?

72sheep

fixed

72sheep

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119828582#Comment_119828582

Ha ha, yes, we can always rely on the IT to "officially record" that Dave was a great lad altogether and that, indeed, we are indebted to his service.

Still this is a joyous day and so not going to mention again where Dave's wife works, his adjudications about $trillion companies on the road where he resides, the independent investigation that he commissioned, his square-shaped head or that he has a Classics degree :-)

72sheep

https://twitter.com/AnTaisce/status/1601263227530141696

Minister Darragh, undeterred by the current motion of no confidence, is not letting a good scandal go to waste and shows us what FFG think of the public :-)