Labour calls for Moriarty tribunal to investigate sale of Glen Ding site

The Labour Party last night called for the Moriarty tribunal to investigate the sale of State-owned land at Glen Ding Wood, Co…

The Labour Party last night called for the Moriarty tribunal to investigate the sale of State-owned land at Glen Ding Wood, Co Wicklow.

A statement issued by the party's deputy leader, Mr Brendan Howlin, on behalf of the party, said that the sale of the Blessington land to Roadstone Dublin Ltd for £1.25 million should be referred to the Moriarty tribunal "as a matter of urgency".

The party statement followed a claim by planning consultant, Mr Kiaran O'Malley, that he had not advised the Department of Energy in October, 1988, to sell Glen Ding privately to Roadstone.

Mr O'Malley said he told the Department in April, 1988, that the land should be sold by public tender or auction. He also said he was unaware that two other quarrying companies, Hudson Brothers and Treacy Enterprises, Dundrum Ltd, had expressed an interest in purchasing the land.

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"The key question which remains is why Roadstone was apparently given a mineral rich property worth many times its purchase price at a discount rate without public tender," Mr Howlin said.

"Given the publicly known connection between Roadstone via its chairman, the late Mr Des Traynor, and Mr Charles Haughey, I believe the Moriarty tribunal is the appropriate body to investigate the matter further.

"I will be submitting a motion to this effect to the Dail as soon as it resumes on January 27th next."

A report into the sale by the Comptroller and Auditor General, published last week, said that Mr O'Malley had advised officials at the Department of Energy that it was unlikely that Roadstone's bid would be bettered and that they should pursue the sale to Roadstone.

Mr Howlin said last night that the CAG's report did not "in any sense constitute a full inquiry".

Contradictions had already arisen between the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources, Wicklow County Council and the consultant engaged by the Department over the circumstances of his appointment and the nature of his advice. These conflicts had not been resolved in the CAG's report, he said.

It was imperative that the officials involved in the decision and the then Minister for Energy, Mr Bobby Molloy, give a full account of the circumstances surrounding the sale to a public forum, Mr Howlin said.

Roadstone Dublin Ltd is a subsidiary of CRH, of which Mr Traynor was chairman at the time. Mr Traynor was the personal financier of Mr Haughey, who was Taoiseach when the land was sold to Roadstone.

A spokesman for Roadstone Dublin Ltd said last night that the company had "consistently and vehemently" stated that Mr Traynor had no part whatsoever in the decisions negotiations or purchase process of the land.

The company also maintained it had acted professionally and ethically in all its dealings with the Department.