Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am just reading what is in the media.

There are also claims of improper contact between developers and key members of planning committees and local authority officials. The subsequent rezoning of lands in question brought huge dividends for the Ballymore property group, which at the time - this is a matter of public record - had distressed loans of €2.75 billion from AIB, Anglo Irish Bank and other financial institutions.

It has also been pointed out that rezoning, which it is claimed was facilitated by some of these close relationships, actually increased the price of property at Charlesland from €80,000 per acre to €1.2 million per acre - in total from €1.6 million to €24 million. Given that and the evidence that has been put forward, which presents serious questions for some officials, some of whom are retired and some of whom are not, can the Minister state what he knows of the situation? What is the nature of the investigations which it is said are set in train?

I ask the Minister to comment on claims that key documents given for his attention and the attention of his predecessor, Mr. Phil Hogan, went missing. A substantial file was presented to the Minister and his Department. Has there been a Garda investigation into it? If there has not, why has there not been such an investigation? My understanding is that the file turned up when those who supplied the file offered to supply copies of the original file.

Wicklow County Council designated land for social housing worth potentially €20 million. A large section of that land, six acres, was handed over to the developer for €10 and it is claimed that it was a deed of grant of easement, a most unusual legal instrument, to be used in the transfer of land from a local authority. I have a copy of the deed of grant of easement, which makes interesting reading. Even though it was never brought before the members of the local authority in the chamber, it has a separate folio. It is sold as a fee simple according to this document, freehold.

The most interesting thing of all is that this is not just a right of passage. According to the agreement itself, the perpetuity period means the period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the expiration of 21 years from the date of the death of the last survivor of the issue now living of the late Britannia Majesty, King George V. So it lasts for 21 years after the last chain in the British monarchy - that is if the British decide to get rid of the monarchy and I do not see any sign of the British getting rid of the monarch just yet.

There is also the question of the access route from the N11 for this development, which potentially cost €30 million.

Who paid for this? We know that €12 million was paid in fees. According to the documents I have seen, the county council committed to acquiring land to facilitate the private developer through a CPO. This is a most serious situation.

There are numerous allegations of questionable practices around this State. We must have full openness on this issue. The former county manager, Eddie Sheehy, was in situ while many of these cases were ongoing. He was so sensitive to public criticism that he had three county council members suspended from the chamber because they were questioning planning decisions. Two of them were from the same party as the Minister of State, Deputy Kevin Humphreys.

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