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.