Seanad debates
Tuesday, 12 November 2002
Second Interim Report of the Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments: Statements.
I was delighted to hear the Minister, Deputy Cullen, say no one person can ensure the outcome of a proposal to zone land and that he would stick to the present situation. I would have said that was the situation in the old Dublin County Council when I served there, although there was one attempted exception. Prior to the discussion on the Swords development plan in 1993 a meeting was held at Mr. John Bruton's request in an upper room of Conway's public house, which I and other Fine Gael councillors attended. We were told – not requested – to vote as a bloc in the council. We were told that there was no place in the party for those of us who could not agree with the majority decision. The following morning, when many of us had decided to vote as a bloc, Councillor Cathal Boland resigned the Fine Gael Whip because the agreement of the night before had been broken by a subsequent meeting. I wonder why the resignation of a senior party member has never been discussed. I hope this matter will be investigated.
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