Deputy Patrick Ryan this week withdrew his proposition for a committee of inquiry into the phone mast issue on the understanding that scrutiny would look at the health and environmental impact of base stations instead.
But although a committee of inquiry will now not go ahead, Planning Minister Freddie Cohen said today that he was waiting for advice as to whether he should cease to consider applications while scrutiny are carrying out their review.
He said that he had decided to ‘do nothing’ until he had received advice because he had been given no direction by the States.
He added that he would not delegate planning decisions on phone masts to his officers.
He would deal with them himself.
‘I’m now left in a very difficult position.
I have no clear direction and I have an obligation to determine applications within a reasonable timeframe,’ he said.
