An Taisce has refused to disclose the names of its 120 members in Kerry and is threatening to refer Kerry County Council to the Minister for the Environment and the Ombudsman over the council's written request for the names.
The council's request for the names and addresses followed a motion passed at the November meeting. The motion was put forward by Mr Michael Healy-Rae. He said he put down the motion in the interests of "transparency and openness" in planning matters in Kerry and he was supported by the council.
An Taisce was involved in the planning process in Kerry and it had objected to a number of developments. If people were involved in the planning process by being members of An Taisce their names should be in the public arena, Mr Healy-Rae claimed.
However, Mr Michael Smith the national chairman of An Taisce, has written to the council of his amazement at the "unexpected request" for the names and addresses.
Kerry County Council has not disclosed the purposes for which it intends to use the membership list, Mr Smith wrote. The names and addresses of members were subject to the Data Protection Act, he says.
"I believe it goes far beyond the statutory powers of the county secretary to ask An Taisce for a membership list," Mr Smith wrote to the Kerry county secretary, Mr Philip O'Sullivan. Mr Smith advised the council to seek legal advice.
In a related development, An Taisce's vice-chairman, Mr John Ducie, confirmed yesterday the association had also written to Mr Healy-Rae asking him to withdraw remarks in which he compared An Taisce to the Ku Klux Klan because of its alleged secrecy.
Two letters have been sent, one by Mr Smith in a personal capacity saying how offended he is by the remark, and another letter on behalf of the association's 5,000 members. Comparing a distinguished organisation such as An Taisce, which has included a former President of Ireland among its members, to the Ku Klux Klan was "outrageous" and offensive, Mr Ducie said.
"The Ku Klux Klan are a racist secret society out to deprive people of their civil rights. We are an organisation to protect civil rights.