FF accused of rural housing stunt

FIANNA FÁIL was accused of pulling a pre-election stunt last night by declaring a "free-for-all" on rural housing on the eve of the party's Árd Fheis.

The announcement of the relaxation of the one-off housing planning rules will also come as a welcome distraction from the sleaze allegations against Fianna Fáil emanating from Tom Gilmartin's explosive testimony at the Mahon Tribunal.

Staunchly defending the new rules which make it easier to get planning permission for one-off housing in the countryside, Minister for the Environment Martin Cullen didn't accept that the proximity to this weekend's FF Árd Fheis was anything more than a coincidence, as he said he had hoped to have the guidelines in draft format before the end of last year.