Wicklow TD calls on Housing Minister for more infrastructure before he ‘railroads more developments’

His comments follow a controversial amendment to the Housing Minister’s Planning and Development Bill which is currently making its way through the Oireachteas. The amendment, tabled in February by the Minister, would prohibit Local Authorities or An Bord Pleanála (ABP) from refusing to grant permission for a residential development on grounds that a set housing target for a town had already been met.

The implications of this amendment for Greystones couldn’t be more clear-cut, given a strategic housing development of some 98 units was refused in May 2023 for that very reason, and the town is already well over its target population for 2028. The issue was raised by councillors at the April meeting of Greystones Municipal District.

Meanwhile, Minister O’Brien was asked in the Dail on Tuesday, April 9, by Deputy Eoin O’Broin to list the dates on which he or any of his advisors met with representatives of an organisation since May 2023; to detail the issues that were raised by the organisation; and to confirm whether issues related to Wicklow County Council’s refusal of a planning application by the organisation for the 98 homes in Greystones, County Wicklow in May 2023 were discussed at any of these meetings.

In his reply, Minister O’Brien said: “I can confirm once again that I have not met with the company referred to [details were supplied] in order to discuss this matter.

“The amendment in question is intended to support the plan-led approach whereby matters related to housing numbers, estimated capacity and zoning are determined by planning authorities at the development plan stage, but with an appropriate and proportionate element of flexibility that may be applied in line with statutory guidance.”

He added that “for clarity and transparency, my special adviser as part of his core duties regularly engages with stakeholders from across the housing system. Meetings with a wide array of organisations are an important, legitimate and valid part of that role.”

He subsequently listed, in the written reply, the dates those meetings took place. Commenting on his reply, Deputy Brady said that despite the Minister’s “attempts at obfuscation” he has been “forced to confirm that his special advisor, who we must assume is acting under the Minister’s aegis, met with what he described as stakeholders on at least five occasions between June of last year, and February of this year.

“It appears that based on these discussions that the Minister felt sufficiently motivated to introduce amendments to his own planning act, that would prohibit local authorities or an Bord Pleanála from refusing to grant planning permission for a residential development on grounds that a government set housing target for the location where the planning permission was situated had already been met,” he continued.

“A letter from Attorney General Rossa Fanning also suggests that amendment is based on a single decision by Wicklow County Council regarding a planning application by Cairn for 98 units in Greystones. An area where the housing target had already been met.

“Minister O’Brien’s political advisor met with representatives of Cairn construction following the decision of Wicklow County Council to refuse planning permission for the 98 houses because the area had exceeded its population target, and prior to the tabling of the Minister’s amendment. Cairn also have an application for 580 houses with An Bord Pleanála, which is yet to be decided.

“It is quite apparent here that Minister O’Brien is more concerned with meeting the needs of greedy developers who have little or no concern about the planned development of the Greystones area.

“The fact of the situation is that Greystones has already exceeded its population target of 22,000 for 2028. And if current growth rates continue this will substantially increase by 2028.

“Before the Minister railroads any more developments in the Greystones area, we need to witness a commitment from Minister O’Brien and the new Taoiseach elect Simon Harris who is based in the town, to deliver on the much-needed infrastructure for the area which would support population growth,” he concluded.