This issue of personal details of Planning Application applicants personal information, is sometining I have fighting against for years as a County Councillor on Meath County Council. Indeed during one debate on the issue some years ago I pointed out that the day would come when someone would either go to court or the Equaity Authority or the Data commissioner, the chickens have now come home to roost now on this type of personal information being sought. In my role as councillor over the years I have advised constituents how to go about preparing to apply for a one off rural planning application. Applicants are always dismayed that they have to give such personal information. It bothers me greatly that an applicant with a medical condition is asked to prove this by getting letters from doctors or consultants to place on there planning files. Worst still in cases of marital breakdown where a spouse is buiding a home for themselves legal docunmentaion from solictors, about the marital separation or divorce is placed on the applicants file.

I am well aware that not all applicants tell the truth about there application which is governed by the County Development plan at the end of the day prior to the planning officialmaking the final decision. But a stop has to be put to planning officials seeking this type of personal information and placing it then for the public to view. Another method has to found to solicit from the applicant the information required to prove there housing need for a planning application to construct there home.

I am calling on the Meath County Manger, Tom Dowling to have proposals put in place by his planning officials, by September meeting of the council, on private, personal, medical and legal information as to how these personal details can be gathered and not put on the public planning files.

Cllr Nick Killian. http://www.nickkillian.ie