Motion to put planning back on council agenda

THE decision to restrict councillors from discussing planning applications should be reversed.

A motion has been passed by members in the Castlebar Municipal District (MD) that Mayo County Council will write to the minister with responsibility for local government, Darragh O'Brien, requesting that planning be allowed back on the agenda at local authority meetings.

There was full support for Council Cyril Burke's proposal, and it has now gone forward to this Monday's full meeting of Mayo County Council.

A number of applications had been turned down in Castlebar, where people are crying out for housing, but they could not discuss them, Councillor Burke told the monthly MD meeting.

There were a number of masts being planned, with people up in arms. They wanted to have a discussion but they were not allowed to.

Cathaoirleach Councillor Blackie Gavin said planning was always on the agenda at town council meetings, where matters were discussed and lots of issues were resolved.

It was time planning went back on the agenda, he said, stating there was no democracy in it at all.

Councillors are subject to a direction that issued in 2018 from the Department of Housing and Planning that planning applications cannot be discussed at meetings before a decision has been made.

Another point in relation to planning was made by Councillor Donna Sheridan – with people staying within their 5k and not out and about as previously, they are not seeing planning signs.

She urged people to keep an eye on the local newspapers and the council website.