FORMER Fine Gael city councillor Jim Long has called on Local Government Minister Simon Coveney to carry out an investigation on planning decisions made in the Limerick region.
Mr Long has written to Minister Coveney raising concerns on a number of contrtoversial planning decisions including: the Peoples Park development; Aughinish Island; Irish Cement; Gortadroma and housing developments on flood plains.
To date he has had no reply to letters sent to the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government last November and this February.
“All of the planning applications I referenced in my correspondence with the Department have proven controversial issues with the public. The level of public confidence in our planning authority, the planning appeals board and the EPA is at an all time low,” Mr Long told the Limerick Post.
He also believes that Irish Cement should make public the P&ID (piping and instrumentation diagram) that accompanied its planning application.
“The recent decision by Limerick Council to grant permission Irish Cement has led to public outrage and genuine health concerns for the people. This decision is now before the EPA and the lack of public confidence in them is turning people’s minds into a state of fear.
“The EPA has lost public confidence. It is my opinion, they need some show of goodwill in Limerick. Myself and many others are very mindful of the planning decisions they upheld in the Limerick region for many the year. Let’s hope that the people of Limerick are not let down yet again,” he concluded.
by Alan Jacques
alan@limerickpost.ie
