A town council is demanding junior environment minister Jan O’Sullivan resign after she issued a directive ordering the dezoning of land in a suspected floodplain.

A long-serving public representative has described efforts to have a designated flood plain dezoned as “like the passion of Christ”.

Moves to allow the development of a town centre on a flood plain in Midleton have been challenged by Housing and Planning Minister Jan O’Sullivan.

A local authority has defied the Government’s guidelines and refused to dezone a flood plain earmarked for development.