FINE GAEL TD Lucinda Creighton has been accused of attempting to turn the planning hearing on Seán Dunne's high-rise development for Ballsbridge into a "circus" and making "clowns" of the participants.
Ms Creighton appeared at the hearing to support the claims of her colleague Paddy McCartan that Ballsbridge residents were "intimidated" by supporters of Mr Dunne at a public meeting in relation to his high-rise plans. However, Micheál O'Connell, legal representative for Mr Dunne, said her appearance was an attempt to turn the hearing into a circus.
Mr McCartan, a Fine Gael member of Dublin City Council, last week made a submission on behalf of Ms Creighton to the hearing. During his submission he said he and Ms Creighton had organised a meeting to discuss the development and supporters of Mr Dunne who attended had intimidated and threatened local people.
Mr O'Connell said the accusation was "completely untrue and without foundation". Mr McCartan had been permitted to address the hearing on Ms Creighton's behalf, but had used the occasion to express his own views, Mr O'Connell said. He asked the board's inspector, Tom Rabbette, to strike the submission from the record. Mr Rabbette said he would consider Mr O'Connell's application, but has yet to deliver a decision on the matter.
Ms Creighton yesterday told the hearing that Mr McCartan's views were her own and she "absolutely" endorsed his comments that there was intimidation at the public meeting.
Mr O'Connell interrupted saying she was compounding the "abuse of process" made by Mr McCartan last week. "It is clear that Ms Creighton has no compunction about turning this forum into a circus that makes clowns of us all," he said.
Mr Rabbette said he didn't want to discuss the meeting anymore.
