Galway's city manager has rejected claims that the city's planning system is a farce, in a bitter row over approval for a controversial development on the west side.
The city manager, Mr Joe Gavin, intends to defend the local authority's record at tonight's Galway Corporation meeting. He is to reply to a series of questions tabled by Labour's Alderman Catherine Connolly, who is already concerned about the public's restricted rights under the new Planning Bill.
The controversial development involves permission for a 7,500 square metres warehouse on the old Farah clothing factory site on the Seamus Quirke Road. Alderman Connolly says that the circumstances surrounding the permission have divided the local Shantalla community.
Outlining the background at a recent local authority meeting, she highlighted how six planning applications had been made, and was told by the city manager that successive applications by developers in relation to different aspects of a development were "quite common".
The practice not only makes it very difficult for appellants but makes a mockery of planning legislation, according to Alderman Connolly, who noted that when a quarter of the population nationally was functionally illiterate, it was impossible to keep abreast of the planning process.
The developers had been given planning permission in January 1997 for warehousing with ancillary retail, car showrooms, distribution centre, storage and light industrial use.
When a corporation inspector visited the construction work following a complaint from a member of the public, who said it was not in accordance with the permission, he found that the building was similar to a renewed application lodged the previous May.
Work was halted, and the developers were advised to apply for retention. This was granted by the local authority but was appealed to An Bord Pleanala by six residents of Ashe Road in Shantalla.
However, the six residents withdrew their objections late last year; they also stated that they had no objection to the development in letters to the appeals board and to Galway Corporation. The signed letter to Galway Corporation was witnessed by their legal advisers.
Alderman Connolly said that the residents had probably withdrawn the appeal because they had lost all faith in the proper channels, or had been "slurred" by allegations that a deal had been done.
She also queried the lack of a report to show how the development would impact on local traffic, and requested a report on local authority enforcement procedures.
The residents had been left with a "huge development towering over their houses", she said.
Last week, the Shantalla Residents' Association lodged an appeal with An Bord Pleanala against permission for the access road. Four people have been killed on Seamus Quirke Road and the association is concerned about the traffic impact.
The city manager rejects any claim that there was improper action on the part of his officials and says that the matter appears to be one between the private developer and a section of the residents.
"It needs to be made very clear that certain allegations in relation to this planning application relate to the private sector," Mr Gavin told The Irish Times.
"I am not happy with comments made, and subsequent reporting in the local press, which could lead to misinterpretation," Mr Gavin said. "On our part, we are very happy with our inspection system in relation to compliance.
"There are various channels for following up claims of planning breaches - whether conveyed to us by the inspectors and local authority officials, by public representatives or members of the public - and all such claims are pursued. We do this because we cannot physically have inspectors on sites 24 hours a day."
The debate - the latest in a series of recent rows over the future of a city which doesn't even have a decent children's playground - has led to some councillors asking why they don't have more of a say in planning matters.
The Fianna Fail senator and councillor, Ms Margaret Cox, has suggested that there should be a system of prior notice, where councillors would be made aware of certain major developments before full planning permission is given. Currently, according to Alderman Connolly, councillors read about the developments in a list also published in the local press.
