Fitzgerald walks out of council meeting over removal of motion on major land rezoning

Meath County Council's longest serving councillor walked out of the November council meeting yesterday (Monday) in protest at the removal of a motion on housing land from the agenda.

Cllr Brian Fitzgerald said he was disgusted at the total lack of respect shown to councillors.

Cllr Fitzgerald had proposed that lands, which had been dezoned in the current county development plan, now be zoned for housing development. He had also called for the lifting of restrictions preventing development on some zoned land until after 2027.

The motion had been sent in by the council's independent group, but was also supported by a considerable number of other councillors.

Cllr Fitzgerald said; “I want to say how annoyed I am, as the one who had initiated it, for the lack of respect for councillors, particularly as it is a reserve function of the councillors. I think it was absolutely unacceptable to me and unacceptable to all of the other councillors. Down through the years, I have served under ten managers and chief executives and acting senior executives and never, ever were we questioned on a reserve function. I am absolutely disgusted and I am leaving this meeting as a result because I have more respect for the councillors and I feel guilty over the way they have been insulted. In the meantime I ask the cathaoirleach to convene a special meeting to discuss the motion for next Monday.”

A reserve function is where a decision taken is up to the councillors alone.

The Chief Executive Kieran Kehoe said he was extremely disappointed that offence was taken by Cllr Fitzgerald. “We received a notice of motion from the Independent group.

“As a courtesy I met Cllr Fitzgerald individually to go through what was the intention behind the motion. I explained that we would be carrying out a variation, but you cannot use a notice of motion to carry out the functions of the planning and development act. That is very clear, very straightforward.

“What you can do is ask me to consider to prepare a draft report to be presented to you within four weeks. I felt there was no need to do that because we are actually in the process of preparing a report and there is a special meeting in the first week in December.

“We have taken on board the ask from Cllr Fitzgerald and the other councillors to widen the consideration of lands that were dezoned under previous development plans under this variation. And we agreed and that is what we are doing. And that will be presented to you in that workshop in a few weeks. I am very disappointed that he felt he had to take this route.

“In all my career I have fully listened and responded to the wishes of the members,” he said.

The letter calling for a special meeting next Monday was signed by Cllrs Fitzgerald (Ind), Joe Fox (FG), Gerry O'Connor (FG), Sean Drew (FF), Carol Lennon (Ind) and David Gilroy (Ind).

Later in the meeting councillors were given an update on the proposed variations of Meath County Development Plan 2021 - 2027. They were told of plans to bring forward lands for development in Navan, Dunboyne, Dunshaughlin, Enfield and Kilcock as well as south Drogheda that had initially been restricted to post 2027 development.

Cllr Nick Killian said councillors were very annoyed in relation to the motion.

“I know you are entitled to your view, but we are entitled to ours.”

He said the council had zoned lands, but not in the right places. “We have zoned land but I know land around the county that has been zoned for donkeys years and has never been developed and probably never will be developed”.

Cllr Sean Drew expressed concern that particular centres were selected to be brought forward without the consent of the councillors.

“I don't agree with zoning large portions of land, because a developer will build on them on a phased basis. They are not all going to be built on the one go and it is just enriching a few landowners.

“We need multiple developments taking place all over the county.”

Cllr Gerry O'Connor said he was disappointed with the response to the motion.

“I accepted the apology from the executive but it damaged the trust. We are entering new dawn for this council, where we are going to grow by 150,000 in the next ten years.

“We are at a minute to midnight and we need the executive and the councillors to work together respecting each other's position. Lets not drip feed us as elected members.

“I look around this room as we have hundreds of years of experience in Meath County Council, so we need to partner in this. We have to get it right.”

Cllr Joe Fox said that there are builders who will build but need zoned land. “We are in a crisis. Rents are at €3,000 a month. Every day we are hearing about the housing crisis. As councillors we are on the front line, getting calls every day from people looking for housing. We don't want zoned land as an asset for grandchildren, we want it to deliver houses.”

The Chief Executive said he fully appreciated it is a reserve function and it was his role to advise councillors.

“We will be hugely dependent on your guidance on where we zone the lands. We will fully consult with yourselves.”

- Funded by the Local Democracy Scheme