SIB and Poolbeg

national | history and heritage | opinion/analysis

Saturday April 08, 2006 13:06

by C Murray - TaraWatch

dotliath at gmail dot com

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087-7765-289

Mc Dowell, Cullen and ABP

The creation of a Critical infrastructure body charged with fast-track planning applications was held up by Michael Mc Dowell TD and Minister for Justice for many months.
The idea vaunted by Martin Cullen TD at Environment had the breaks put on due to the nimby Mc Dowell who definitely did not want Poolbeg in his back yard, interfering with his constituencey majority.

The Planning and Development Bill 2006 (Strategic Infrastructure Bill) provided a happy medium.
There would be no fast -track organisation but a happy medium, wherein An Bord Pleanala wd be re-structured and the new division take applications from Corporate entities, semi-state and state bodies to ensure that Critical infrastructure projects were achieved 'On time and within budget' .
The Strategic Infrastructure Bill will encompass all future building projects including electricity masts, railway, motorway and will be amended on its pathway through the houses of the Oireachtas to include gas pipe-lines. Poolbeg incinerator , the Indaver Ireland project is not included in the SIB, though all other incinerator projects are. This was first reported in the Irish Times by Tim O Brien on the 17th Feb 06, the day after the launch of the SIB at the Dept of the Environment. This Planning and Development Bill must be opposed.

* Major changes to the way in which the board handles infrastructure consents, including the possibility for pre-application discussions with the applicant and more flexibility in the decision that the Board can make on the application.
*An Bord Pleanala is already responsible for deciding on roads , motorways , water and waste water proposals by local authorities. This bill extends that process to projects of strategic importance. In addition, infrastructure being provided by other statutory bodies and private promoters will now also be be subject to a single stage process. This will cover core energy, environmental and transport infrastructure.