Dail Speeches February 2004

Mr. Gogarty:

It is not enough time, one could speak for five years about the corruption that has occurred. In case some of my Opposition colleagues are wondering why I am sitting on the Government backbenches, I want to see if I can talk about planning and keep a straight face. Unfortunately, I cannot. However, I will try to bring some sense to the Government backbenches.

This issue is not simply about what happened previously and the revelation of the scurrilous activities of Mr. Ray Burke, other Fianna Fáil Deputies and Mr. George Redmond. George Redmond will, no doubt, read the reports of this debate tomorrow from a borrowed newspaper and still be oblivious to his involvement. His only response will be: "Oops, I got caught and they were all doing it".

What lessons have been learned? The Mahon report is damning about Mr. Redmond's involvement with the Forest Road lands and payments by Mr. Bailey to Mr. Redmond in 1988 and 1989. The only payment that did not fall within the tribunal's definition of corrupt payment was the payment of £15,000 at the Clontarf Castle Hotel in July 1989. It was compensation for not appointing Mr. Redmond as a consultant.

My colleagues have dealt with other aspects of the report so I intend to focus on the fact that county managers and assistant county managers can, within weeks of their retirement, get onto the cushy gravy train provided by developers. It is happening everywhere. The city manager was apparently oblivious to the carry on of Mr. Redmond. Another individual, Frank Kavanagh, within weeks of retiring from South Dublin County Council, rang me up. He said:

Hi, Paul, Jim Mansfield is doing a development in Citywest. It is a tourism golf development. Would you be interested in supporting it? Surprisingly, I said: It is out in Saggart where half the place is built already. It is well worth supporting. Of course, Frank, I will support you.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: The Deputy appears to be departing from the content of the report.

Mr. Gogarty: This is relevant, it ties into the report.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: I ask him to speak to the report and not to introduce any other names that are not involved.

Mr. Gogarty: One of the findings of the report is that there is no recommendation about former city and county managers having a period of leave before they can work for developers. Inside information is being traded on an ongoing basis and, in some cases, being prepared before they leave. If an official is working hand in hand with a developer and leaves, with a vast reservoir of knowledge, to work as a private operator, there are strong grounds for questions to be asked. I call on the Minister to take whatever action is necessary to prevent people in local authorities from working, in any capacity, for developers for a period of three years after their retirement. Otherwise there will be chaos.

The local authorities are in chaos. When the vote about Citywest was taking place, I asked if any members had a conflict of interest. Of course, Mr. Colm McGrath still voted in favour of Mr. Mansfield's development. This is happening throughout my constituency - Quarryvale, Adamstown, Laraghcon in Lucan and Palmerstown. The land map of my constituency is like grafitti on a city centre wall on the Sunday morning after the Saturday night and embossed by a ring of puke. There are no facilities and no coherent planning. That is due to the likes of Mr. Redmond, as outlined in the report.

I am sure we will read about more corrupt individuals in the next couple of years as the Mahon tribunal continues its deliberations. Are Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats sincere about learning the lessons? The Minister says he supports the work and findings of the tribunal. Will he do something to ensure there are no more tribunals or, at least, minimise their number by tightening up the legislation, imposing fines on people who have conflicts of interest and do not claim them and providing for large fines and imprisonment for former city and county managers and senior executives in local councils to ensure they do not work for developers and share their knowledge? If I was trying to get a planning extension on my house I would have great difficulty getting to talk with planners. Lessons need to be learnt within the body politic from Mr. Redmond's activities. I have a few short words for the Minister: please, learn the lessons.