Councillors angry at ‘extraordinary’ sale proposal

A PROPOSAL by council officials to sell off a site in the Abbeyside area of Dungarvan to a private developer which had been earmarked for up to 130 local authority houses, has sparked a furious reaction from councillors.

One described the decision as “a great day for the snobs and the social elite of the town”.

The mayor of Dungarvan, Cllr Fiachra O’Ceilleachair, has pledged to oppose the proposal all the way and, on his insistence, the issue is being put on hold for an open debate at the next town council meeting.

Cllr O’Ceilleachair has described the officials decision to sell off the land to the private developer without consultation of any kind with the elected councillors as “extraordinary and exceptional” and it is one he believes they should seek legal opinion on.

He said earlier this year council planners were to draw up proposals for local authority housing on the land. Now, completely out of the blue, they learn of the proposal to sell the site.

“It is a dark day for Dungarvan Town Council if we are going to sell off land that we have for housing at a time when we have a huge housing waiting list. It is an extraordinary turn of events,” the mayor added.

However, town manager Denis McCarthy said the site was put on public display and submissions had been invited from members of the public in relation to it. On the basis of those submissions they had decided to sell the land to a private developer.

He said the private developer will have to provide up to 20% of social and affordable houses in any development he undertakes.

“We will ensure that is rigidly adhered to,” he said.

Cllr Brendan Mansfield said the decision is a great day for the snobs and the social elite of the town, while Cllr Teresa Wright said it is clear a certain area of Abbeyside is being exempted from local authority housing.

“It is shameful,” she said.

Mr McCarthy rejected that assertion, while Cllr Nuala Ryan said she did not want to be associated with any suggestion that snobbery is preventing social and affordable houses being built in the Abbeyside area.

However, she agreed the decision to sell the land to a private developer has come as a shock to her.

“We have people on our own housing list of up to 400 applicants waiting for this development to start.”