Donegal County Council has suspended a senior official as part of its investigation into complaints about the processing of planning applications in the county.
It is understood that a number of complaints and representations were made to the county council by residents of Magheroarty and Dunfanaghy in west Donegal in April and May of this year, following which the council took a decision on May 31st to open an investigation into its internal processes.
Media enquiries were yesterday being directed to Mr Joe Peoples, a personnel officer with the council, who confirmed that a senior official had been suspended. Mr Peoples referred to a statement issued by the council yesterday.
It said: "On May 31st last the council issued a statement in relation to an investigation following complaints about the processing of certain planning applications in west Donegal. A decision has now been made to suspend a senior official in the planning service pending further inquiries and a final decision.
"The inquiries relate to alleged breaches of procedures which require officials to declare the nature of their interest in land which is the subject of a decision by the planning authority under the planning Acts and to neither influence nor seek to influence a decision of the authority in such instances."
A number of new housing developments have recently received planning permission against the wishes of locals.
The Irish Times understands that the official who was suspended yesterday has been on leave since the end of May, at which time the council confirmed that complaints had been received from members of the public.
Sources say the investigation is being carried out by the acting assistant county manager, Mr Liam Kelly, and the acting county engineer, Mr Jack McInerney, despite calls from councillors for an independent investigation.
Yesterday a Labour Party member of the county council said the internal investigation fell well short of the demands being made by councillors and local people.
Cllr Sean Maloney said: "Since this started there has been bad feeling between members and the county manager.
"We initially called for a special meeting to discuss the matter, but we were told that a man was out sick. Now we are being told that a man has been suspended, but we haven't been given any of the information promised. Members are being kept in the dark", he claimed.