12th
December 2001
PRESS
RELEASE
GREEN
PARTY CALLS FOR PROPOSED PLANNING FEE TO BE DROPPED
The
Green Party has called on the Minister for the Environment and Local Government
Noel Dempsey to drop his controversial plans to charge a fee of €20 (twenty
euros) to those commenting on planning applications. The proposed Regulations
are being discussed by the Environmental Committee of the Dáil this week. The
charges are contained within the proposed Planning and Development Regulations
that are due to be introduced from 1st January next.
"The
proposed charges are a blow to democracy," stated the Green Party's Planning
Spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe today. I know that local authority planners welcome
letters form the public, but this charge will reduce the amount of observations
from people affected by planning proposals.
"I
understand that the European Commission is concerned about the proposed fee, as
the regulations breach the E.U.'s 1985 Environmental Impact Assessment Directive
by imposing fees on public submissions related to Development proposals. The
Irish Government has already been sent a warning from the Commission on this
issue.
"In
my own Dáil Constituency of Dún Laoghaire this proposed charge represents a
burden, particularly on retired persons who may be unable to afford the proposed
charge.
"The
Green Party is calling on Minister Dempsey to drop this undemocratic charge."
For further
information contact:
Ciarán
Cuffe, Dáil Candidate 087 265 2075 or 618 3082
Stephen
Rawson, Press Officer 087 235 7551
or 618 4088
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