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.

In short, they affect the lives of people in profound ways.

Meath County Council, which is charging the €175 fee, claims it is recouping the cost of printing.

Not surprisingly the council has been accused of putting this information “out of the reach of ordinary hard-working families”.

By charging such a fee for the plan, the authority is depriving the average punter of vital information that should be available as of right and at a more reasonable price.