The Government's appointment of Mr Hugh O'Flaherty as vice-president of the European Investment Bank was criticised by the Dublin North TD, Mr Trevor Sargent.
He said Mr O'Flaherty's appointment to the £147,000-a-year job, following his "retirement on £40,000 a year", added to the cynicism and sense of unfairness felt by people about politics. "I feel that our sympathy here should be going to the Ryan family on the loss of a mother and wife, and to everybody who feels that politics has let them down."
Mr Sargent said it was a disgrace that reports of corruption coming from the Dublin Castle tribunals had not been exposed sooner. The Green Party had publicly questioned if it was going on as early as 1993. "Is it not wrong that housing was allowed to be built so far away from public transport routes, schools and other basic facilities? Let us resolve here to win justice for our communities destined to live in such badly planned estates as a result of material greed and barefaced corruption."
Mr Sargent said feelings of injustice welled up in everybody who heard how the corrupt golden circle of Irish politics operated. "Spare a thought also for the pain felt by all those hurt by the wrongs revealed at the Lindsay tribunal. No amount of retribution will resolve the wrong done to them. The loved ones they lost cannot be brought back." Mr Paul Gogarty, a member of South Dublin County Council, said Quarryvale was not the only questionable rezoning that had taken place in his electoral area. The very fabric of Lucan village and the surrounding areas were threatened by bad planning.
"An orgy of insatiable development has been celebrated over the past 10 years, without even the slightest recourse to proper planning. And who is to blame? Developers, council management, and, to a large extent, councillors, are."
Mr Ciaran Cuffe, a member of Dublin City Council, called on the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, to review the 1993 Dublin county development plan, and subsequent Dublin area plans, to ensure that lands were zoned correctly.
"Communities should not have to wait until the end of a tribunal for the Minister to do his job."
Mr Cuffe also called for the introduction of a windfall tax on profits from rezoning at 80 per cent of the land's increased value. There should be a requirement that creches, parks and playgrounds be included in all major housing developments, he added.
