Some 85 per cent of retention applications to Dublin City Council in the last five years were granted planning permission, according to figures released yesterday.
There were 1,176 retention applications lodged with the council from 2001 to 2005. Of these, 993 were given permission and 183 were refused.
Retention permission is applied for when construction of or alteration to a building has already taken place without planning permission. An individual or developer applies to have the work approved retrospectively.
Those applying for retention do so under section 34 of the Planning and Development Act 2000.
The majority of planning applications lodged for retention permission are on foot of enforcement action taken by the planning enforcement section of Dublin City Council.
Where such an application is refused and the unauthorised development is not removed, the planning enforcement section continues with enforcement action.
One in four planning enforcement cases is still "on the books" 4½ years later and it takes an average of 48 days from the receipt of planning infringement to a site inspection.
Fine Gael councillors Naoise Ó Muirí and Gerry Breen expressed their surprise at the high levels of approval.
"Arguably this indicates a bias towards applicants, who are often developers," Mr Ó Muirí said. "More importantly, it can only promote a cowboy culture of 'sure we'll build whatever we want', as there is an 85 per cent chance that 'we'll get permission for it later'."
Mr Breen said that planning control and enforcement were not working in the council.
Councillors will be meeting to discuss the issue next week.
