The Planning Service will take no action against those who erected a republican memorial without permission in west Belfast.
The government body was responding to criticism by Democratic Unionist MP Sammy Wilson, who also claimed the Falls Road site had been using free electricity to illuminate it from street lights.
The MP said he had raised the issue with Northern Ireland Electricity and NIO minister Shaun Woodward.
"Adding insult to injury, the Planning Service has now exercised their discretion to allow the memorial to stand without planning permission," he said.
"Once again it appears that the authorities have turned a blind eye to illegal republican activity, and it is little wonder that ordinary people who have to pay for their electricity and who have to apply for planning permission even to erect a wall around their own houses will feel angered."
A spokesman for the Planning Service said the site had been inspected and it decided "there is no need to take enforcement action on a breach of the planning law in this case.
"However, they would stress that cases like this will be looked at on an individual basis."
NIE spokeswoman Valerie Curran also said the issue of electricity supply would be resolved soon.
"NIE is aware of this issue and has had discussions with the local community and their elected representative," Ms Curran said.
"A satisfactory resolution has been agreed and the matter will be resolved in the near future."
Sinn Féin councillor Fra McCann said Mr Wilson should be more concerned with the issue of sectarian intimidation in his own constituency than a memorial to republicans in west Belfast.
"Sammy Wilson's latest outburst is but another in a long line of publicity stunts which are invariably about generating sectarian tension rather than serving the interests of his constituents," he said.
"A republican memorial in the lower Falls, where every council seat is held by Irish republicans, is hardly an issue of contention or division."
