Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me to raise this matter. It is a complex issue which has had serious consequences for Meath County Council and local authorities throughout the country. It must be addressed by the Government to ensure it cannot happen again although fault does not lie with the Government. In 2006 Meath County Council sought to sell some land in Ashbourne zoned C1 which meant it could be used to provide for and facilitate mixed residential and business uses. As part of the sale, Meath County Council produced a brochure outlining the piece of land concerned. Included in the brochure was a commitment to construct a distributor road within the confines of the existing site. The road was to link the site of the Ashbourne town centre development, thus maximising the potential of the site. Eventually Darlington Properties bought the site from Meath County Council under the proviso that the distributor road would be built. Meath County Council admitted in various correspondence that the road would enhance potential. In fact, without the distributor road planning permission would have been difficult to achieve.

Prior to May 2007 representatives of Darlington Properties visited the site and noted construction work taking place on the site where the road was due to be built. It turns out that Meath County Council gave planning permission to another company subsequent to the planning permission granted to Darlington Properties. It obviously caused difficulties for Darlington Properties and the matter ended up in the High Court. In the case brought by Darlington properties, a judgment of more than €4 million was awarded against the county council. This matter is obviously of serious concern to the citizens, elected members and all the staff of Meath County Council. Mr. Justice Kelly was not very polite in his judgment in the High Court, to say the least.

A report has been made by a former county manager, Mr. John Quinlivan, and another individual which made a series of recommendations. I would like to know the view of the Minister on them, in terms of how they relate to the rest of the country. I would like the Minister to comment in particular on the fact that Meath County Council will not accept all the recommendations, in particular the decision of the manager not to assume full executive responsibility for planning matters. I would like to know what the Minister proposes to do in the future.

When county councils and local authorities make serious errors of judgment or mistakes, elected members seem to lack the ability to challenge them because they are afraid if they say anything to officials, jobs may not be done in their electoral areas or there might be some fall-out. I thank the Minister for coming to the House.