WaterfordGate: Cover up exposed |
Three month adjournment granted |
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The Oral Hearing into the badly needed N25 Waterford Bypass collapsed today amid recriminations and claims from Michael O'Donnell B.L, acting for the Butlerstown residents, that the developer (Waterford Corporation, Waterford County Council and Kilkenny Council) were intent on "bleeding my clients dry". The essential facts are outlined below. On the Monday prior to the commencement of the Hearing, a meeting took place in City Hall at which 17 people representing the developer were present. Both Waterford Co. Co. and Waterford Corporation were represented. No representative was present from Kilkenny Co. Co. Those in attendance included the City Engineer, the County Engineer, the Senior planner from the county, the Law Advisor, the legal team representing the developer at the Hearing, Local Authority officials, Engineers from the NRA and professionals representing the consultants to the project. The meeting was informed that the route in the Bypass proposal going before the hearing just 2 days later did not conform to the Waterford County Development Plan. The Waterford County Development Plan had some weeks earlier been varied by the elected representatives of Waterford County Council. Notwithstanding, the developer proceeded with the Hearing. Neither the Inspector nor the general public nor the objectors were advised of this 'difficulty' with the proposal. In effect a cover up was attempted. At no time during the Hearing did any witnesses representing the developer indicate that the Bypass Proposal before the hearing was in contravention of the Waterford County Council Development Plan nor that there was even the slightest potential incompatibility between the two. It was only following sustained and detailed questioning by Mr. Michael O'Donnell B.L. representing residents and Mr. Sweetman, Planning Consultant, that, on Wednesday August the 8th, more than 1 week into the Hearing, the cover-up was exposed. Wednesday August 15th 2001 |
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