Gardai to investigate missing planning file

The mystery over the missing planning files relating to the building of an incinerator at Duleek deepened this week when Meath County Council called in the Gardai to investigate the incident. The planning files - held in what are believed to be between seven and 13 boxes - were last seen by a member of the public in October last but have not been located despite extensive searches undertaken by the council. Meath Fine Gael TD Shane McEntee said that the files missing from the public in relation to the incinerator at Duleek was 'a very serious matter'. He called for all works at the incinerator site at Carranstown to stop 'until the matter was cleared up'. The Meath Chronicle first reported in October that the planning files were missing, having last been seen by Duleek community activist Pat O"Brien. At that time, the council said that the file 'cannot be located at the moment' and had initiated a search. The company promoting the project, Indaver, and the council, denied Mr O"Brien"s suggestion that the incinerator was under construction at the incorrect location on the Carranstown site. At the same time, Deputy McEntee said he was not happy with the situation and called on Environment Minister John Gormley to clarify the situation. On Monday, a council spokesman said that it had written to the Gardai to alert them of its concerns about the missing files. He said that the council had reviewed CCTV footage from the office and that an historic planning file from 2001 cannot be located. According to the council, it holds electronic copies of the Indaver file and a full copy is held by An Bord Pleanala. 'It should be noted that the council holds tens of thousands of such files dating back to the 1960s,' the spokesman said. The Department of the Environment confirmed that the minister had contacted the county manager in Meath towards the end of last month 'in connection with representations he had received in respect of alleged irregularities with the planning file for the Indaver facility'. It also confirmed that it had received a request from Deputy McEntee for a meeting to discuss the matter. Deputy McEntee said yesterday (Tuesday): 'It is my opinion that all works should stop until this matter is cleared up. The bottom line is there is no doubt that the site identified on the original notice is not the site for which planning permission was granted. 'Meath County Council is claiming the first application has been superceded by a more recent application, which has now been activated. The second application clearly states that it is an extension of the first application, therefore this argument does not stand up. I will write again to Deputy Gormley on behalf of my constituents and demand that he takes this more seriously. While the Gardai have been notified on this matter, this still does not mean that the Department"s own investigation should not take place,' he went on. Pat O"Brien, a community activist in Duleek who has opposed the building of the incinerator, said yesterday that he believed he was the last member of the public to see the planning file on the incinerator. He had taken copies of some maps and other documents and had asked for further information relating to some other matters on the file. 'They disappeared after that.' He said that people shied away from the word 'inquiry' but he believed that there should be a full review of the matter 'to see that the application was handled properly'. He added: 'If it was handled properly, then people have nothing to fear from such a review.' However, he said that the Department of the Environment had been reluctant to get involved. 'I have been at them for the last month trying to get them involved in what is a serious situation. We can only do what we can do as a community group. Somebody with more power and influence has to get involved in this.'