Negative report of rural planning guidelines
The day after Mr Cullen's announcement, the front page ran with the headline "FF accused of rural housing stunt," and sought to discredit the announcement by stating it came "as a welcome distraction from the sleaze allegations against Fianna Fáil in the Mahon tribunal."
The article, and the further coverage on an inside page, made a story out of the timing of the announcement, coming as it did before the party's árd fheis last weekend.
Why was such a negative approach taken in reporting the new planning guidelines?
Surely, the importance of the rural housing story lies in the substance of the initiative announced by Mr Cullen?
Is Fianna Fáil going to be accused of an 'election stunt' with every policy initiative the party announces between now and the local and European elections?
The only way the Government can avoid this criticism is to do nothing for the next three months, and that is hardly in the best interests of the country. The Government is elected to govern and we must let them get on with the job whether or not an election is imminent.
Rural homes have been part and parcel of our countryside for generations and form an integral part of the countryside and the rural social network.
New housing is vital if we are to retain viable rural communities.
As a public representative I am acutely aware that the current planning system lacks consistency and clarity on this issue, resulting in inevitable frustration for people applying for permission.
The new guidelines will help to make the planning system more responsive to the needs of ordinary people.
As far as I am concerned, it doesn't matter whether this announcement came three months before the local elections or three months after it.
The important thing is that common sense has prevailed and people from rural communities, subject to normal planning considerations, will now find it much easier to obtain permission to build houses in their areas.
Cllr Michael McGrath,
162, Dún Eoin,
Carrigaline,
Co Cork.
