Land compensation deal to be investigated

THE Equality Authority has been asked to investigate whether it was fair to compensate only one family for the “nuisance” caused by Cork County Council creating an illegal halting site.

County councillors were informed yesterday that county manager, Martin Riordan, is investigating the case which involves the handing over of an acre of local authority-owned land to a couple in Mitchelstown.

It formed part of a compensation settlement agreed with the couple in the High Court.

Yesterday it emerged that Cllr Kevin O’Keeffe (FF) has sent a letter to the Equality Authority, asking it to investigate the case because he said he felt other landowners should have been compensated, even though they did not take a High Court action.

Five other adjoining landowners are taking legal advice about the possibility of suing the local authority over the illegal halting site it created at Coolenanave, Mitchelstown.

Travellers, who were camped in the way of the Mitchelstown relief road, were moved on by the council so it could complete that project. But the council moved them into a temporary halting site, without seeking planning permission for it.

At County Hall yesterday some councillors questioned why the disposal of land to the couple was on the list for approval.

Cllr Kevin O’Keeffe said he was not happy simply to rubber-stamp the transaction without having a debate on it.

The mayor of Co Cork, Cllr Tom Sheahan, said it should not have been on the agenda, because the county manager was investigating it.

Mr Sheahan said the land transfer approval was being deferred until a later date.

“We should have more discussion about this,” said Mr O’Keeffe.

He claimed the council had discriminated against other landowners because they were not compensated as well.