Minister to be consulted in row over local development

THE Minister for Agriculture is to be asked if the development of a 41-acre site for 100 local authority homes will compromise an agricultural college.

A row broke out yesterday at a county council meeting after a Fine Gael councillor claimed that the ‘gift’ of land from the Department of Agriculture at Darrara, near Clonakilty, signalled a run-down of the local college.

The department gave the land over to the council, which has plans to create a village featuring affordable housing.

While councillor Jim Daly said he wasn’t against the concept, he said he was concerned there might be a sting in the tail, because the loss of land to the college could lead to its downgrading or closure.

He got into a heated argument with Fianna Fáil councillors Joe Carroll and Donal O’Rourke when he said locals, including IFA members, had serious concerns about the issue.

“We must seek assurances from the Department of Agriculture, college management and Teagasc and see why these lands are deemed not to be useful to them,” Mr Daly said.

A number of his Fine Gael colleagues supported a move for the assistant county manager Theresa White to write to the three bodies.

However, FF councillors said Ms White’s position would be “compromised” if she was forced to do this.

Mr Carroll claimed there was no problem with the college, while Mr O’Rourke said the only threat to it would come from IFA members who advised their children against a career in agriculture.

“If I thought for one minute it would have an adverse effect I wouldn’t support it. I can’t see how this project will have any effect on the college, it’s nonsense to me,” councillor Christy O’Sullivan (Ind) said.

FG councillor Paddy Sheehan had his doubts, pointing out that the college had handed over one-ninth of its land.

“Did we get an assurance this wouldn’t have a detrimental effect on student training?” he asked.

Mr Daly said he hadn’t seen anything in writing to that effect. “I believe it’s vital that fears are addressed,” he added.

Fine Gael decided to ask their local TD Jim O’Keeffe to question the Minister for Agriculture in the Dáil.