By Dan Walsh at the June meeting of Wexford County Council
The controversial Land Swap at Courtown, came before the monthly meeting of Wexford County Council today as a Section 183 of the Local Government Act 2001 and the members voted in favour of the proposal by 24 votes to 7.
The Council’s site, measuring 1.65 acres approx. located at Ballintray Lower and originally acquired by the Council from Peter J. Redmond of the Taravie Hotel, is to be disposed of and is currently used as a public car park. The site is to be transferred to TYOL Bayview Limited, Ardamine, Gorey.
The Council’s site is to be transferred for the development of a hotel, of a scale to be agreed by Wexford County Council. In exchange for this transfer the Council will receive from TYOL Bayview Limited, in exchange, the site of the former Bayview Hotel.
The disposal, if approved, is subject to TYOL Bayview Limited lodging a planning application for the development of the site as a hotel within 12 months of the passing of this resolution and other conditions.
This has been a controversial public issue in the community for some time and has led to protests outside the Civic Offices, Gorey, while Gorey-Kilmuckridge Municipal District Council were sitting and today, a group objecting to the project gathered outside the Council Chamber at County Hall and were represented at the meeting.
At the May meeting of Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District Council, after a sometimes heated and lengthy debate, councillors voted 5-4 to bring the proposal before today’s county meeting for a decision.
Cllr Joe Sullivan spoke strongly against the proposal. “This will have a significant impact on the future of the area,” He questioned much of the reasoning behind the Council’s plans?
Cathaoirleach of Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District Council, Cllr Donal Kenny, claimed “we are not giving away the land”, backed the vote to bring it here (full council) and said the issue had been going on for three and a half years and it was time to move forward and decide.
While acknowledging the potential economic benefit for the area Cllr Andrew Bolger declared to vote against the Land Swap. “My job is to represent the residents of Courtown, and Harbour Court, in particular. The community is against the project and our job is to bring the community with us,” he added.
The decision to put the matter to a vote was proposed by Cllr Donal Kenny and seconded by Cllr Anthony Donohoe, both members of Gorey Municipal District Council. Director of Services Liz Hore clarified some queries from the floor and CEO Tom Enright acknowledged members right to protest ahead of a decision by the full council. “That is democracy in action. It is a free vote,” he stated.
Cathaoirleach Cllr George Lawlor allowed the vote to proceed.
The vote was as follows; IN FAVOUR (24) Cllrs Maura Bell, Pip Breen, Aidan Browne, Cathal Byrne, Cllrs Ger Carthy, Kathleen Codd-Nolan, Anthony Connick, Anthony Donohoe, Mary Farrell, John Fleming, John Hergarty, Willie Kavanagh, Leonard Kelly, Donal Kenny, Garry Laffan, George Lawlor, Jim Moore, Barbara-Anne Murphy, Bridín Murphy, John O’Rourke, Michael Sheehan, Frank Staples, Oliver Walsh and Michael Whelan. AGAINST (7); Cllrs Pat Barden, Andrew Bolger, Jim Codd, Tom Forde, Davy Hynes, Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin and Joe Sullivan. ABSENT (3) Cllrs Lisa McDonald, Diarmuid Devereux and Jackser Owens.
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