Rezoning scandals

Jackie laughlin

Just for the record: the rezoning scandals in County Dublin involved exclusively FF and FG councillors. The PDs and Labour were not involved. Indeed a Labour councillor was expelled from the party for supporting these scams. The scams pre-date the formation of the Greens.

Diaspora

Thats not quite strictly correct on both counts

firstly Labour councillors have supported rezoning motions and Nicky Kelly's role in the Fachtna Whittle (FF) scam on Ardmore 2 years ago was more cheerleader than innocent victim.

The Greens also predated the tribunals by a long shot in fact when you analyse the development of the Green party there was a slow steady build by people like Roger Garland and Trevor Sargeant from 1987 on when the scandals were at their most obvious. Little known fact is that the Greens polled 1500 votes in Dublin South East in 1982 and by 1989 were not far away.

But as per your main point I would agree that Labour and the PDs have a better track record on substantiating their reasons for supporting particular motions if not opposing them.

Jackie laughlin

Diasporo,
There is great danger here in getting off the point of the thread.

I'm not saying that Labour or the PDs never supported a motion to rezone. I am saying that, aware of rezoning proposals against the advice of planners the sole purpose of which was to enrich landowners and/or developers, these two parties made strange bedfellows in fighting the good fight.

If Nicky Kelly has been involved in such a scam, I would like to know about it.

The rezoning scandals began in the late 70s. Some of us were watching strange purchases of farmland!

oscarBravo

Already off-topic for the original thread, so split to a new one.

lostexpectation

Jackie laughlin wrote:

Diasporo,
There is great danger here in getting off the point of the thread.

I'm not saying that Labour or the PDs never supported a motion to rezone. I am saying that, aware of rezoning proposals against the advice of planners the sole purpose of which was to enrich landowners and/or developers, these two parties made strange bedfellows in fighting the good fight.

The rezoning scandals began in the late 70s. Some of us were watching strange purchases of farmland!

H0w many PD councillors were they at that time. perhaps they were simply voting in competition

Jackie laughlin

I didn't intend this to become a thread. I just wanted to make a point in another thread because someone was tarring all politicians with the same brush.

I can't believe that I'm about to say something positive about the PDs. However, their behaviour in Dublin County would suggest that their neo-liberalism does NOT extend to creating windfall profits for selected landowners and developers by rezoning. I can only speculate as to why this particular means of transferring wealth to the wealthy was problematic. I suspect that they would not countenance direct bribery/corruption.

Cantab.

Jackie laughlin wrote:

I didn't intend this to become a thread. I just wanted to make a point in another thread because someone was tarring all politicians with the same brush.

I can't believe that I'm about to say something positive about the PDs. However, their behaviour in Dublin County would suggest that their neo-liberalism does NOT extend to creating windfall profits for selected landowners and developers by rezoning. I can only speculate as to why this particular means of transferring wealth to the wealthy was problematic. I suspect that they would not countenance direct bribery/corruption.

The astute developer/land speculator has his finger in every pie. It doesn't matter which party is in power, the politician is just a link in the chain.

Jackie laughlin

Cantab,
Is that it, then? Have you just disposed of representative democracy?

Cantab.

Jackie laughlin wrote:

Cantab,
Is that it, then? Have you just disposed of representative democracy?

It's just I'm a cynic. I don't trust anybody when it comes to money (especially people I don't know).

Jackie laughlin

Cantab,
I mean this genuinely. You should try to overcome cynicism. Most people involved in politics - including elected reps. - are not corrupt. I may feel that their ideologies range from mad to "sinful" but they are not personally corrupt.