£72-92mclaim in road row angers council

D·n Laoghaire/Rathdown county councillors have condemned as "unacceptable" a compensation claim of between £72 million and £92 million by a company under investigation by the Flood tribunal.

Jackson Way Properties is demanding the compensation arising from the construction of the South-Eastern motorway near its lands in Carrickmines, south Dublin. The claim has been lodged in respect of 20 acres of the company's holding of 106 acres, RT╔ News reported last night.

The company's predecessor, Paisley Park Investments, paid less than £600,000 for the 106 acres in 1988.

The tribunal is investigating allegations that the English-registered company paid money to councillors in return for rezoning votes. It believes that the owners of Jackson Way and Paisley Park are the same and have gone to elaborate lengths to conceal their identities.

Mr John Caldwell, the solicitor who "went to ground" instead of obeying a summons to appear before the tribunal, has been identified as the "owner" of Jackson Way. Mr Caldwell has now agreed to give evidence and will be questioned about the company next year.

Mr Jim Kennedy, the amusement arcade owner with links to Mr Liam Lawlor TD and the former assistant Dublin city and county manager, Mr George Redmond, was involved in the purchase of the land by Paisley Park.

Jackson Way hired Mr Lawlor and, later, Mr Frank Dunlop to lobby for the rezoning of the land.

Mr Eamon Gilmore (Labour) described the compensation demand as "an outrage".

Fine Gael's local government spokeswoman, Ms Olivia Mitchell, said that Jackson Way's claim was "too much to stomach".

The South-Eastern motorway is not now expected to be ready until the end of 2004.

Last year, Jackson Way's solicitor, Mr Stephen Miley, refused to reveal to the tribunal the identity of the owners of Jackson Way, citing client confidentiality. However, last January the High Court ordered Mr Miley to reveal the names. He later appealed to the Supreme Court and reached a compromise agreement with the tribunal over the provision of company information.