COUNTY HALL, 23 October: by Bill Trapman. A claim that ‘legal payments’ to the two main political parties had ‘influenced planning decisions’ in County Kildare and elsewhere caused the adjournment of the monthly meeting of Kildare County Council this week.
Making his remarks, Deputy Emmet Stagg made it clear that he was not accusing individual members of the council, or its officials, of doing anything wrong, but he said the coalition of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail was ‘uniquely strong’ when it came to planning decisions.
Deputy Stagg said details of such donations had been made public by Fianna Fail itself, and he added that ‘many builders in Kildare’ made payments, and Fine Gael admitted they received payments from builders.
Emphasising that the Planning Office in Kildare County Council was ‘absolutely above board and beyond reproach’, Deputy Stagg said he ‘had full confidence’ in the planning proceedings in Kildare and he was not accusing members of this council or previous councils of taking money in return for planning decisions. “If that interpretation is taken, it is not the case,” he said.
There were angry reactions from other councillors, including Deputy Sean Power, who said it was an attempt to ‘blacken the names of members’ of the council. Cllr Senan Griffin said nobody had ever approached him offering ‘brown envelopes’, or, as far as he knew, had officials been offered any. Cllr Jim Reilly said the remarks were ‘a slur’ on the reputations of councillors.
Council official Charlie Talbot said it was contrary to the council’s Standing Orders for officials to make remarks, but the Development Plans in the county had been lawfully adopted. He was supported in this comment by acting county manager Tommy Skehan, who added that the council had a ‘clean bill of health’ in this regard.
When Deputy Stagg refused to withdraw his remarks, the meeting was adjourned by chairman John O’Neill, who said ‘an awful slur’ had been perpetrated.
©2001knn