Fórsa is preparing to contact all members of the Oireachtas, on behalf of Fórsa’s members at  An Bord Pleanála, to raise their opposition and concerns about some of the proposed changes slated for enactment in the Planning and Development Act.

Fórsa official Lisa Connell explained: “We’re compiling a response to the legislation through a survey of members. The union is also putting together a series of questions and proposals for an upcoming meeting with senior management at An Bord Pleanála.

“While there are very serious concerns among Fórsa members in ABP about the name change - not least because they feel strongly the name still has integrity - there is a much bigger problem arising from the lack of meaningful engagement with the department on the legislation and its operational and resource implications,” she said.

It’s been widely reported that officials at An Bord Pleanála are pushing against plans to rename the national planning body as An Coimisiún Pleanála. Fórsa members there remain concerned, while the Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien has signalled his determination to rename the authority, following a series of recent crises.

Earlier this week it was reported that Paul Hyde, a former deputy chairman of ABP, avoided jail after appealing his two-month prison sentence for making false or misleading declarations.