The Irish Times

The proposed "Suas" cable car service for Dublin city and a €1 billion commercial and residential development for Ceannt Station in Galway city should not be permitted to use the new fast-track legislation to gain planning permission, An Taisce has said. The projects are among 53 schemes seeking to apply for planning permission under the new Strategic Infrastructure Act, which came into force earlier this year and allows developers to bypass local authority planners and go directly to An Bord Pleanála for planning approval. The planning board is currently determining which of the 53 schemes should be permitted to use the new system and which will have to go back to their local authorities. An Taisce said the new system diminishes public participation in the planning process and that it will lead to the courts system becoming swamped with legal challenges to planning decisions.