Sir, – Why is it the case that the Irish planning system, and the professionals who work within it, are constantly being used as an instrument of Government to address central government’s housing policy shortfalls? If housing supply is slow, more Ministerial guidelines are issued as a way of forcing public sector planners to address a problem that is not of their making. The issuing of guidelines is merely pasting over the cracks of what have been decades of bad government policy regarding housing supply, and is not easily addressed by introducing a condition of planning when granting permission for development. The Irish planning system is constantly being blamed for the lack of housing delivery when in fact planning is not the barrier to housing supply. Not to mention the role of the judiciary that is now immersed in more reviews of planning schemes for housing, making judgments that ultimately prevent provision of much-needed homes. We are approaching the point where it would be better to lodge planning applications for large housing schemes directly in the Four Courts. Perhaps the policymakers in the Custom House might consider addressing that matter rather than using the Irish planning system as a cure-all for the lack of housing supply. – Yours, etc,
JOSEPH CORR,
(Member of the
Irish Planning Institute),
Rush,
Co Dublin.