I did not interfere with quarry planning says Ahern
While admitting that he had not seen nor signed a letter sent from his constituency office, St Luke's, to Roscommon County Council in November, Mr Ahern said he "took full responsibility as a public representative for the correspondence issued in my name".
The letter, stamped with the Taoiseach's signature, was addressed to the council's planning enforcement officer and requested the suspension of an enforcement order issued arising from unauthorised development at a quarry near Athleague, Co Roscommon.
Mr Ahern confirmed last night the letter had been authorised by his constituency office manager, Senator Cyprian Brady, arising from a representation made by a constituent, who is a brother of the quarry owner.
He said Mr Brady had thought it reasonable that the letter be sent in Mr Ahern's name because Brian Murray, who operated the family quarry, was undergoing chemotherapy and the enforcement order was causing him a lot of stress.
"I want to unequivocally state that the only motivation in making representations on this matter was from a compassionate perspective. It is a blatant distortion of the truth to suggest that there was any attempt to interfere with he planning process," said Mr Ahern.
As details of the letter emerged yesterday, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny and the Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte both attempted to raise the matter in the Dáil but were ruled out of order.
Yesterday, Mr Brady was unable to say categorically whether or not Mr Ahern had seen the letter. It then emerged Mr Ahern would make a statement clarifying his
position in the Dáil. His spokesperson yesterday defended the use of a stamped signature saying it was not unusual for TDs with large volumes of correspondence to do so. Some 600 pieces of correspondence had been dealt with in St Luke's in the week the letter was sent.
The Labour Party described it as "bad process" for a Taoiseach not to know what correspondence was being sent under his name.
Fine Gael's Bernard Allen said the letter showed the Taoiseach had a scant regard for the enforcement process in planning laws.
"That kind of letter from the prime minister of a country to a local authority official must be intimidating," he said.
Last night, the Irish Concrete Federation which brought the matter of the unauthorised quarry at Athleague to the attention of the council claimed there are 100 unauthorised quarries in operation. Its chief executive, John Maguire, said last night he was "frustrated and puzzled" at the failure of the Government to implement legislation dealing with quarries.
Green Party leader Trevor Sargent and Labour's environment spokesman Eamon Gilmore said it was a source of concern that legislation has not been implemented.
