South Kerry TD Mr Jackie Healy-Rae has defended his role in lobbying for Government grant aid for a marine centre which later had to be demolished.The deputy has also defended the fact that family members were involved in work on the project.
The main building at the centre at Dereenacallaha, Kenmare, did not comply with its planning permission, and was knocked down before Christmas. However, work on a pier, across a busy road from the centre, can remain.
Some €333,000 had already been paid out to the water activity centre by the Department of the Marine.
Further grant aid of over €400,000 remains to be paid.
The funding was allocated after a special allocation in Budget 2000 was announced by the Minister for the Marine, Mr Fahey.
Yesterday it emerged through Freedom of Information documents that the Kerry independent TD lobbied directly to the Taoiseach for aid for the project in April 2000.
Mr Healy-Rae said yesterday he lobbied for Mr Danny McCarthy, the promoter of the project.
A spokesperson for the Taoiseach said the project was a priority of the Kerry deputy during the last government.
Mr Healy-Rae said everything to do with the project, apart from the fact it had been "a few feet" in the wrong location, was "above board", and it would create employment in the area.
He also defended the fact his family's firm, Healy-Rae plant hire, run by his son, Mr Danny Healy-Rae, did much of the preparatory work on the project.
The main development in the marine project is divided from the seafront by the area's main regional road, the Kenmare to Castletownbere road.
Outline planning for the project was given by Kerry County Council in 1998.
The applicant, Mr McCarthy, a fish processor of Star Seafoods, Dauros, Kenmare, was granted full permission in 2000 for a marine store, a canoe and sail training centre, and associated facilities, including parking and utilities onto the proposed pier.
According to the council, Mr McCarthy was asked to demolish the building when it was built to roof level at a cost of over €200,000. This was because it was not built at the site for which it was granted permission, and it was larger by about 350 square feet than had been approved.
The building was sited some 30 feet closer to the road than approved.
Mr McCarthy has now taken down the building, but work done to the pier may remain.
A council spokesman said the developer had until May 2005 to substantially complete the project he was given permission for originally.
A spokesman for Mr McCarthy said that he intended completing the project in accordance with planning, and it would be completed.
He said it was never intended as a marina, but as a school for sail training and for using yachts and canoes, and the project would be up and running by this summer.
The spokesman added that the fact that it would now comply with planning permission would mean its grant position would not be affected.