Council officials did private work for public

Two officials of Waterford County Council were found last year to have carried out work for members of the public, the county manager, Mr Donal Connolly, said yesterday.

He said the draughtsmen, who did not work in the council's planning section and were not involved in the planning process, were warned about the consequences of their actions.

Mr Connolly's statement followed a row at a council meeting on Monday when Cllr John Deasy (FG) claimed some planning officials were doing "nixers" and that the practice had gone on for years. He was criticised by other councillors.

Mr Connolly said yesterday Mr Deasy's comments related to planning staff, and he had asked the councillor to disclose any information he had to enable him to take whatever action might be required.

His warning to the non-planning officials followed a complaint from a member of the public. Mr Connolly said he carried out an investigation during which he established that the two staff members had, in the past, done private work in their own time.

"I issued specific instructions to them not to engage in such activities in the future and obtained an undertaking from them that they would no longer be involved in the preparation of planning applications.

"I also issued an instruction to all officers of the county council pointing out to them the fact that officers of the county council were precluded from engaging in any private activity which would represent a conflict of interest between them and the local authority," he said.

Reacting to criticism from other councillors at Monday's meeting, Mr Deasy asked: "Who's fooling who? I know the people in the planning department who actually deal with planning applications who do `nixers'. I'm only here for a year and a half, for God's sake."

His comments were described as regrettable by Cllr Billy Kyne (Lab). "It seems to be guilt by association is being suggested here. If he has queries I presume he would have taken them to the manager already. There's none of us above reproach; I don't mind anybody being queried but I would resent the type of comment from Cllr Deasy."

Cllr James Tobin (FF) said there should be no question of an investigation into planners in Waterford County Council. "It has never been mentioned and I don't think we should be associated (with) or we should be mentioned in the same breath as those counties who have been questioned."

"The trust of our planners isn't in question and I hope it never has been and I'm sure it never will be," he said.