Imposition of planning laws on land drainage ‘bureaucracy gone mad’

FARMERS say the imposition of planning laws on the draining of land is “bureaucracy gone mad” and an assault on property rights.

Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) president Gabriel Gilmartin said farmers will have to shelve their land improvement projects due to the new draconian measures.

Following a court ruling by the European Court of Justice, any drainage works will now have to conform to statutory instruments requiring either planning permission from a local authority or a consent from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and with the potential for an Environmental Impact Assessment.