The Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, has received support regarding his planning difficulties from the most unlikely of sources, former Fianna Fáil TD Mr Liam Lawlor. Liam Reid reports.
Mr Lawlor, who is personally aware of the Roosky, Co Roscommon, site of the Minister's new home through family connections, said he sympathised with Mr McDowell, whom he said had fallen victim to "planning theory over planning practice".
The former owner of the site, Ms Anne McDonagh, who sold the site to Mr McDowell, is a sister-in-law of Mr Lawlor's brother, Noel.
Mr Lawlor said that Ms McDonagh had bought land in Roosky in the mid-1990s and developed in the region of eight sites for houses.
The former TD, who has holidayed in the area in the past, said he "didn't have a clue" about the potential planning problems for Mr McDowell until news broke of the story on Monday.
Work has now stopped on the almost-completed timber-frame house, after planning permission for the structure expired at the end of August.The couple will now have to apply for retention of the structure.
"I'm sorry for the McDowells that they're now having to deal with a situation that's not of their making," Mr Lawlor said.