Council’s fee - Charge for information undemocratic

IN yet another glaring example of the rip-off mentality pervasive in Irish society, it has emerged that a local authority is charging a whopping €175 fee for a hard copy of its new draft development plan.

With many people now at the pin of their collars just to make ends meet, such an outrageous charge is exorbitant to the point of being anti-democratic.

Development plans are the broad blueprints for residential and industrial schemes, green belts, road networks and other priorities.