Éamon Ó Cuív: Calls for tougher enforcement and reform on quarries
Éamon Ó Cuív addressed an RT assertion that one in eight quarries across Ireland is operating without planning permission and urged tougher enforcement and a more workable regulatory framework. He warned that widespread ignoring of planning law risks bringing the law into total disrepute and called for regularisation, environmental sensitivity and practical permission routes for legitimate uses.
Allegations and scale of the problem
The speech cited an RT claim that one in eight quarries operate without planning permission and raised concern about local authorities buying from authorised quarries where those authorities are the planning authority themselves, a point he described as very serious.
Legal enforcement concerns
He said his understanding had been that non-compliant operators would be told to desist and that local authorities would seek court injunctions to restrain unlawful activity. He expressed alarm that major works can continue despite alleged non-compliance, undermining respect for the law.
Policy and regulatory reform
He argued for a much more comprehensive policy for the extractive industry that ensures compliance and environmental sensitivity while recognising the practical needs of small, local quarries. He cautioned that over-restrictive rules could force long-distance transport of materials, damaging roads and increasing carbon footprint.
Substitute consent and rehabilitation
He called for a review of the substitute consent mechanism, especially where disused quarries are being repurposed, and suggested making it easier to apply for permission for legitimate recreational or productive uses such as rock climbing and site rehabilitation.
Parliamentary context
He spoke briefly while sharing his time with two colleagues, Deputy Lawless and Deputy Odee, and concluded by pressing for regularisation of quarry activity and full enforcement of planning law.
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I would have to say I agree fully with the motion that we need to tackle this issue and if the assertion that was made by RT is correct that one in eight quarries across Ireland is operating without planning permission that is a very serious issue and furthermore if local authorities are buying from authorised quarries where they themselves are the planning authority that also raises very very serious issues and I've always had a belief that when you find widespread ignoring of the law you bring the law into total disrepute but sometimes you also have to look at the issue as to whether the way the law operates is proportionate and reasonable and I think we have a very very serious issue that we need to look at we must make sure that everyone complies and my understanding always had been up until I saw the programme is that if you were not in compliance the first thing you were told to do with local authority is to desist from whatever business you were in and then that you could seek retention or in this case it would be substitute consent. I always understood that in the case of you not desist from whatever activity irrespective of what enforcement was involved for example if you were using a private premises for commercial purposes that didn't have permission that you would have to desist from doing that and my understanding was that a local authority would seek a court injunction and restrain you by the order of the court from doing what you were doing. Now to see that people can go on doing major major works consistently seems to me to be a very serious issue. I think we need to develop a much more comprehensive policy in relation to the extractive industry we want an extractive industry we want it to be compliant we want to be environmentally sensitive but the other thing I think we have to avoid or have to look at is that we make it possible for small quarries to operate in isolated areas or otherwise what you're going to do is ruin your roads and cause a huge carbon footprint by bringing vast amounts of material over long distances so we do need to move forward regularise all of this make it workable and then enforce the law fully. Another issue that comes up Minister and I will be very brief because I am sharing my time with two of my colleagues Deputy Lawless and Deputy Odee I think we need to look at this whole substitute consent mechanism particularly when somebody wants to use a disused quarry for some other purpose. And I think we need to make it easier to apply for permission to use quarries for legitimate purposes for example for recreational purposes and whatever which is very good for rock climbing and so on and we need to make that particular process so that we can rehabilitate and reuse quarries that are nicer in many cases for productive legal purposes. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
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