Gormley investigation - Planning inquiries are long overdue

OUR planning system has been under a cloud for decades. Votes on rezoning land have often been preceded by bribery dressed up as political donations.

How could it be otherwise? The sums involved are – or at least were – spectacular, and no matter how virtuous we imagine ourselves we would foolish to pretend that any process that can lead to such tremendous profits would be free from inappropriate or corrupt influences. That is the case in most countries in the world, why should it be any different in Ireland?

It is how we respond that might set us apart and, to date, our response has not been persuasive.