Second council official investigated

A SECOND senior Cork County Council official has been investigated by his employers in relation to the controversial land negotiation in north Cork in which the council negotiated to buy land for €11.6 million which had been on offer just months earlier for €8m.

Property insiders have claimed the official has joined one of his senior colleagues in being suspended as it continues with an internal investigation, but the local authority has refused to comment on that claim.

The investigation centres on the sale of the 20 acres of land at Deerpark, Charleville and was sparked after complaints were made about an attempt by the local authority to purchase it for €11.6m.

Claims were made by development company, Pushkin Developments that Cork County Council could have purchased the land for as little as €4m two years previously.

Instead the council signed a contract on April 24 last for €11.6m. In the interim the land had changed hands twice.

Last November, Pushkin had agreed to sell the land, which was already zoned for housing, to two Permanent TSB officials, regional manager Brian Cremin and Cork city branch manager Denis O’Reilly, for €8m.

Subsequently Pushkin made a complaint when it found out that the men had already started negotiations to sell the land on to the council for €3.6m more.

County manager Maurice Moloney has confirmed that four complaints have been received and that he has appointed head of personnel, John Walsh, to conduct the investigation.

Mr Moloney and his colleagues have, however, refused to comment on claims that other land deals involving the council are now being examined in addition to the Charleville deal, that one official was suspended on full pay two weeks ago, or claims that a second official has now been suspended.

With regard to the whole land sale investigation he said yesterday: “It is something we would rather not have to deal with, but our system is sufficiently robust”.

He added it was inevitable that experience would be gained from the investigation and the council will be “looking at our own procedures” in relation to the area of land transactions.

Meanwhile it has been confirmed by the legal representative of Pushkin that the €8m fee asked of the Permanent TSB bankers has been paid in full.

However, Mr Cremin and Mr O’Reilly have initiated High Court proceedings against Cork County Council over its failure to complete the deal with them.