THE Minister of State, Ms Joan Burton, was accused yesterday of intervening in a quasi judicial process by issuing a press statement attacking the proposed redevelopment of the Phoenix Park racecourse.
At the outset of the second day of a public inquiry into the project, Mr Philip O'Sullivan SC, for the developers, said he was surprised that Ms Burton, who is Minister of State for Justice, had intervened in such a way before his clients case had been completed.
He took particular exception to her claim that the casino element of the project would contain 1,100 slot machines when she had been informed by the developers last September, in a letter, that there was "no question" of such a number of machines being provided.
Ms Burton, who is the Labour TD for Dublin West, had also claimed the casino would lead to prostitution and other undesirable activities. But the developers regarded such claims as "smear tactics" based on misinformation about the project.
Mr O'Sullivan said she had been invited to contact Mr Norman Turner, chief executive of Sonas Centre Ltd, to be given "full and accurate information", but she had not taken up this offer. It seemed she was more interested in making "some political point".
Mr John Reid, planning consultant for the West Dublin Action Group, the main objector to the scheme, dissociated himself from the Minister's observations. The presiding inspector, Mr Simon Clear, said he would confine himself to hearing only planning evidence.