Government in legal battle to keep €20 planning fee

ENVIRONMENTALISTS have expressed concern at the Government’s fight to keep a controversial planning fee.

The European Court of Justice in Luxembourg yesterday began hearing a case in which Ireland is accused of breaching EU environmental legislation by obliging all third-party objectors to planning applications to pay a €20 fee.

It was introduced under the Planning and Development Act 2000, despite strong opposition from a range of environmental groups, including the Friends of the Irish Environment, An Taisce, the Green Party and several local authorities.