By Sean Moriarty

A Killarney councillor has raised concerns after he discovered false planning objections were being lodged to Kerry County Council.

At Monday’s Ordinary Meeting of the council, Cllr John O’Donoghue asked if the “Council would detail what identification checks are made on persons submitting planning objections?”

“I was recently made aware of a case where a young couple had an objection lodged against their planning application to build a house. When the required time elapsed and they found out who the objector was, they were surprised to see it was from someone from a very small townland at the other end of the county. As events unfolded, it transpired that the person named as the objector had not made the objection, and had no knowledge whatsoever of the house even being built,” Cllr O’Donoghue told the meeting. “I find this most unsatisfactory and while I may not agree in entirety with the process, I accept that it is an absolute right of anyone in this country to object to any development they wish.”

A Council official said: “Any person or body, on payment of the prescribed fee, may make a submission or observation in writing to a planning authority in relation to a planning application within the period of five weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.”

Mr O’Donoghue felt this did not directly answer his question.

“I thank the Council for their reply but note that my question regarding identification checks on individuals objecting to planning has not been mentioned, presumably because there are none,” he said.