A report about alleged serious planning irregularities in Donegal remains unpublished over a year after the government received legal advice on its contents from the attorney-general.
About a decade ago Gerard Convie, a former senior planner at Donegal county council, submitted almost two dozen alleged examples of rule breaches at the local authority.
These included several cases where homes were built in breach of regulations that protect areas of natural beauty.
The Sunday Times yesterday reported that after multiple delays, a report on his complaints was submitted to the government in June 2017. The attorney-general submitted his legal advice a year later but Eoghan Murphy, the housing minister, has yet to decide whether he will publish it.
Darragh O’Brien, Fianna Fáil’s housing spokesman, said that his party would ask Mr Murphy for an update in the interests of transparency.
The Department of Housing and Planning issued a response that was nearly identical to one given to The Times when it asked about the same issue in November. “Following receipt of the attorney’s advice, departmental officials considered the matter further and prepared a submission for the minister’s consideration, including an assessment of the options available to the minister in terms of publication or dissemination,” a spokesman said. “The minister is currently considering the report and the extensive legal advice received.”
It has been almost ten years since Mr Convier, who was a planner at Donegal county council for more than two decades, came forward with his allegations.
For full story see https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/donegal-planning-breach-report-ready-to-publish-for-over-a-year-vzt7dhf5b
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