Former ABP official appears in Cork court in relation to alleged planning breaches

FORMER An Bord Pleanála deputy chairman Paul Hyde has appeared in court on nine counts of failing to comply with planning laws.

The 50-year-old appeared before Skibbereen District Court regarding nine summonses, one for each year from 2014 to 2022, inclusive.

Mr Hyde, with an address at 4 Castlefields, Baltimore in Co Cork, was present in court when the matter came before Judge James McNulty.

Mr Hyde stood back from his duties with the planning board last May and subsequently resigned last July and has previously denied any wrongdoing.

The nine summons relate to alleged breaches of Section 147 of the Planning and Development Act. 

The first is that on or about April 29, 2014, when purporting to comply with the requirements of Section 147 (1) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, that he gave particulars which were false or which were to his knowledge misleading in a material respect, contrary to Section 147 (11) of the same Act.

The other charges relate to similar alleged offences on or about January 26, 2015, January 19, 2016, January 31, 2017, January 19, 2018, January 14, 2019, January 22, 2020, February 5, 2021, and January 31 of last year.

The prosecuting Garda is Sgt Shane Curtis of Sundrive Road Garda Station in Dublin.

In court, Clodagh Grace for the State Solicitors Office said it was the first day the case had appeared in the list and she was looking for a date for either a plea to be entered or to fix a date for trial.

Ms Grace said full disclosure would be made but it would take some time.

Paula McCarthy BL, for Mr Hyde and instructed by Colette McCarthy of Wolfe and Co Solicitors, said disclosure had not been received as yet and that with the upcoming Easter break and remaining business she had to attend to in the circuit court, it may mean a wait for a preferred date, such as in late May. 

Ms Grace said her Detective was in difficulty regarding a suggested date in mid-June.

Judge McNulty directed that disclosure be made to Ms McCarthy and adjourned the matter until June 27 next, in Skibbereen, at 2pm, for either a plea or to fix a date.

“I would have liked it to be dealt with earlier, now it will be dealt with later,” he said.