A Co Wicklow Labour councillor has defended his role in one of the controversial rezoning motions approved by the council last month.
Mr Jimmy O'Shaughnessy proposed the rezoning of a 12-acre field at Liamore, near Newcastle, for commercial rezoning to facilitate the development of a medical step-down centre and nursing home.
The rezoning, made against the advice of planning officials, is facing considerable opposition among local people, who believe the site, on a small country road beside a bird sanctuary, is totally unsuitable for commercial development.
It is one of 17 rezonings that were made during a marathon meeting of Wicklow County Council last month, many of which have become the subject of considerable controversy.
They include the rezoning of 172 acres at Ballyhenry, near Ashford, for commercial development. Councillors voted in favour of it after they were incorrectly informed by the land owner's architect that the rezoning was to facilitate the relocation of Ardmore film studios.
The sites of a quarry and a factory which are currently operating without full planning approval were also rezoned.
Yesterday Mr O'Shaughnessy told The Irish Times that he had not spoken with anybody about the rezoning, but had seen it on a list of submissions, and believed it was a good project.
"All my interest was for a nursing home or medical step-down centre. Nobody approached me for or against it."
He said it "was something I'd seen that would benefit the people of the county".
Mr O'Shaughnessy was one of a number of councillors who attended a residents' meeting last week in Newcastle, where locals voiced opposition to the project.
He has now made a proposal to the county planners for an effective delay in the consideration of the rezoning proposal, and for it to be considered as part of a wider area plan for Newcastle.
However, he believed that the reason for local opposition against the proposal was not about the zoning status of the site but because locals were specifically against a nursing home.
Yesterday a spokeswoman for the Newcastle Residents' Association rejected this, and said the group had been advised that a nursing home did not require commercial rezoning.
"He's entitled to his opinion, but what the people at that meeting were most worried about was the fact that it's commercially zoned."
The site is owned by businessman Mr George Smullen, and was was one of three properties owned by Mr Smullen that were rezoned during the meeting last month. The site of his business, Abwood Homes, also in Newcastle, which does not have full planning permission, was also rezoned.
The two original submissions were made on Mr Smullen's behalf by Mr Pat O'Connor, a planning consultant based at Ashford, who is also an activist in the Labour party. The submission was rejected by the county manager.
The Irish Times was unable to contact Mr O'Connor yesterday.