An Bord Pleanála: allegations of conflict of interest 'must be fully investigated'

He was speaking after it emerged ABP is carrying out an audit of hundreds of decisions taken by its deputy chair, Paul Hyde, after allegations surfaced about his failure to declare his interest in a company.

It is alleged that Mr Hyde had a potential conflict of interest in relation to a decision that was made by the planning board to refuse planning permission for a residential scheme on a site that bordered development land controlled by his father.

It has been reported and alleged that Mr Hyde did not recuse himself from votes on housing developments that involved his brother’s fire safety company.

In two letters, seen by the Irish Examiner, Mr Hyde has strenuously denied any conflict of interest in rulings he made. He also denied any conflict of interest in relation to his brother’s fire safety company.

Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien, who has appointed a Senior Counsel Remy Farrell to investigate the allegations, is to face questions in the Dáil this week.

The board itself will also face calls to attend Oireachtas committee meetings to explain its governance structure in light of the allegations made about Mr Hyde.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Mr Matthews said ABP has a vital role to play and it needs to be completely accountable and all decisions need to be made in the national interest. He said: 

Allegations of impropriety need to be fully investigated. The public must have full confidence. 

Mr Matthews and other members of the housing committee are demanding to see the full terms of reference given to Mr Farrell.

Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan, who has been to the fore on this issue, said ABP needs to explain what processes and structures they have in place to ensure that proper procedures are followed with regard to potential conflicts of interest.

“I’ve written to the chair of the housing committee to ask that ABP are brought in to answer questions on this,” he said.

Mr O’Brien will also face questions from Eoin Ó Broin, Sinn Féin’s housing spokesperson, as part of oral questions with the minister in the Dáil chamber on Thursday morning.

Mr Ó Broin will specifically ask the minister to disclose the scope of the investigation being led by Farrell SC.

A spokeswoman for Mr O’Brien said the terms of reference are being developed and have not yet been finalised. The terms of reference will set out the timeline of the report.

In a letter on April 19 to the ABP board, Mr Hyde said he was satisfied that the share in H2O Property Holdings Ltd did not and could not materially influence him in the performance of his duties, as the company does not engage in any commercial activities and does not have any monetary assets or liabilities and would have no beneficial or pecuniary interest in the outcome of any decision in this area, including the recently decided strategic housing development application at Blackpool in Cork City. 

A comment was sought from ABP but none was forthcoming.