South Dublin County Council last night voted to allow a €50 million convention centre, previously rejected by An Bord Pleanála, to be built at CityWest in Dublin.
As part of a special meeting of the council, members voted by 21 to 3 to allow Mr Jim Mansfield, the property's developer, to conclude construction of the centre, which is already half built.
Mr Mansfield's associates, building firm HSS, has had two convictions in relation to planning successfully brought against them by South Dublin County Council.
Opposing the development, Green Party councillor Mr Fintan McCarthy said that the infrastructure was not in place in the locality to support such a project.
Councillors speaking in favour of the project said that for the benefit of the county, the previous behaviour of the promoter must be separated from the idea of locating the 600-seat centre in CityWest.
Speaking at the meeting, Cllr John Hannon (FF) said that the "two issues must be separated".
"There is no doubt that people with vested interests from outside the county are trying to influence the vote here. If we as councillors are not going to advocate this project on behalf of the county, then who will," he said.
Earlier, the council voted by a clear majority to allow a Brittas-based blacksmith retain his house which had been previously built without planning permission.
An earlier High Court ruling had ordered that the property of Mr Martin McDonagh be demolished.
The county planning manager, Mr Ciarán Kennedy, voiced concern that because of this High Court order, any vote to retain the house could be open to future legal challenges.