An Bord Pleanála is not incompetent or corrupt, Environment Minister Eamon Ryan has said. 

The planning body has been dogged by complaints about its integrity in recent months but Minister Ryan said he still had confidence in its officials. 

“I don’t accept the argument that An Bord Pleanála is incompetent or corrupt,” he told The Pat Kenny Show. 

“Yes, there have been failings and the primary failing, in my mind, is a lack of resourcing. 

“That has been rectified; there is no restriction in resources available - not just to An Bord Pleanála - but also the other institutions which are involved in all of this. 

“You don’t throw the baby out with bath water.” 

An Bord Nua?

When asked whether An Bord Pleanála should be split into separate bodies for infrastructure projects and housing, Minister Ryan said there was no point. 

“Because you might have to replicate then all the legal and other constructs that give An Bord Pleanála its independent characteristics which you do need,” he said.  

“That would probably take a number of years, so you’d be delayed; there is a race on to develop this industry because other countries are looking to do the same. 

“If we were to try and change our entire planning system as you’re doing it, I think that would bring delay and also, I’m not too sure it would bring [any] benefit.” 

Wind auction

Yesterday, Eirgrid announced there had been four successful bids in the country’s first ever offshore wind auction. 

Ireland has higher than average wind speeds and Minister Ryan said this would soon be a lucrative source of income for the nation.

“We know we can deliver wind at competitive prices - it is where we have an advantage,” he said.  

HDPJFY Wind turbines and powerful sea waves on the coast of Wexford in southern Ireland. Bernard Golden / Alamy

The price of generating wind energy has plummeted in recent years and Minister Ryan said the transition to net zero would benefit consumers as well. 

“Gas is expensive and it’s likely to continue to be expensive into the future,” he said. 

“It currently provides about half of our electricity needs; we need to reduce that dramatically down to about 20% by the end of this decade and eventually zero… The best energy supply for us is a combination of wind and solar.” 

In the first nine months of 2022, 31% of Ireland’s electricity supply was generated by wind.

Main image: Green Party leader Eamon Ryan ahead of this morning’s Cabinet meeting at Government Buildings, 18-04-2023. Image: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews