Union demands to see An Bord Pleanála internal review in full

Fórsa, he said, would not accept “any attempts to whitewash any wrongdoing”, and that a number of its members “no longer had confidence” in some of the people in management positions.

“Our members consider it entirely inappropriate that the organisation has chosen not to provide them with access to the internal review into the organisation and the specific report into allegations against the director of planning [Rachel Kenny],” wrote Mr McDonald.

“The former has been leaked to the media. The second has been released to the media in what we believe is a self-serving manner. 

In this context, it is wholly unacceptable not to make these fully available to staff members and the union. The working conditions within An Bord Pleanála have become intolerable in these circumstances.” 

Mr McDonald also said the union’s members “no longer have confidence in specific members of management who may be acting to protect their own positions or the position of certain individuals at the expense of the organisation.” 

The internal review, the contents of which were published in the Irish Examiner last week, highlighted malpractice and misgovernance issues at An Bord Pleanála.

Mr Walsh has stated that publication would be premature because of “the risk of prejudicing any possible follow-on actions or investigations arising” from the review.

However, Mr McDonald, in his letter, pointed out that the inspectors have faced “unwarranted and unjustified” scrutiny:

We need sight of the documents in full.

The existence of an inquiry into the director of planning, Rachel Kenny, referenced in the Fórsa letter, was revealed by the Irish Examiner last week. 

A few days later, Mr Walsh confirmed the inquiry and stated that an external company had found Ms Kenny had “no case to answer” in relation to allegations that she had represented An Bord Pleanála in a case in which her husband was on the applicant team. 

The exact terms of reference of the inquiry and the report compiled have not been made public. 

In response to a series of questions from the Irish Examiner, a spokesperson for An Bord Pleanála said that Mr Walsh will not be adding to his earlier statements. 

On Tuesday, he added to his original statement by noting that a digital investigation he had ordered into An Bord Pleanála to find the source of the leak to the Irish Examiner had concluded that it did not come from within the organisation.

An Bord Pleanála has been engulfed in scandal for months, with the former deputy chairman Paul Hyde resigning his position in July.

Mr Hyde is now facing a criminal investigation.