The people fight back.

national | politics / elections | news report Thursday September 02, 2004 00:54 by john mcdermott - Remove Fianna Fail Party Leinster House

Martin Cullen and Bertie Ahern-do they condone this?

The building frenzy countrywide is bringing huge profits to well connected farmers and speculators.The ordinary people are now organizing to fight back,

The Hidden side of Fianna Fail’s 'One off housing boom'

1. Death threats and intimidation rampant

People who objected to planning permission for developments in their neighbourhood or wider community were often subject to intimidation, threats of violence and even death threats, a new national organisation has claimed.
The Planning Network, which was formally established just last week, has claimed that fear if often the biggest factor preventing people from objecting to controversial developments.
The Planning Network has been established in Co Roscommon following two recent public meetings which attracted people from counties Sligo, Roscommon, Leitrim, Longford, Dublin, Offally, Cork and Donegal. It aims to provide information and support for people who are involved in the planning process and are experiencing difficulties sourcing information and clear guidelines, according to group spokeswoman, Catherine Ansbro.
But the group has been unprepared for the deluge of information it has received from people who claim they have been victims of intimidation and threats because they have lodged objections.
These range from being sent Mass cards in the post to be driven off the road or being told they would never work again if they continued with their objections, claimed Ms. Ansbro.
‘This is one of the shocking things we are discovering’, she said.
‘In two separate instances, groups of up to six men arrived at the homes of objectors warning them to back down’, she said.
‘The trouble is that in many instances people don’t talk about it or report it.’
The Planning Network aims to set up a website and helpline in the coming weeks.
The group also hopes to link people with experts.
The following is one of the replies I I received when I was kindly permitted to voice my criticisms in the ‘Examiner’ newspaper;-

"Dear John,
I read your letter in the Examiner and I totally support everything you said. There must be
more people out there interested in this issue.But rural housing is only one of many issues
that needs to be addressed seriously.I honestly believe that some sort of revolution is
needed.This government(so called)needs to be stopped.They are selling this beautiful island
down the river.I have lived in Ireland for 28 years…longer than I lived in my native
country and I feel that eventually I have some sort of entitlement to open my mouth and
speak my mind.I could write a book on my experiences on "rural housing".
We have been involved in objections to "rural housing"and have appealed to "an Bord
planeala".We won against all the odds.But there was a lot of foul play involved.I eventually
got so angry I contacted the solicitor involved in the "Flood Tribunal"and forwarded all
documentation to him.We have not had a problem since in my immediate locality.The "one
off" houses however are still being built around our village bigtime,on the skyline,turned
the wrong way facing the road,horrible designs,and so on.With our objections we
approached,and got help from"An Taisce"
We are now on bad terms with our neighbours,and are living with many nasty
consequences.And all this because there are the most
incompetent,shortsighted,greedy,arrogant useless dinosaurs running this country,And now
they have the presidency of the E.U.-what a laugh ."