STATE land at Blessington Co Wicklow, was sold at its market value after two valuations, according to a Department of Agriculture spokesman. He was responding to allegations from the Wicklow County Council chairman, Mr Thomas Cullen that the land at Glen Ding Wood sold to the cement company, Roadstone Dublin Ltd for £1,250,000 in 1991, could now be worth £100 million.
At a meeting of Wicklow Co Council on Monday night, Mr Cullen called for an investigation by the Department of Transport Energy and Communications, which sold the land in 1991.
The spokesman said two valuations, by the Geological Survey of Ireland in 1988 and by Dublin firm Kiaran O'Malley Ltd in 1989, valued the site at between £1 million and £1.5 million. Mr Cullen's figure of £100 million came from his estimation of gravel tonnage produced by the quarry and potential value for residential development.
Mr Cullen was given leave in the High Court last Thursday to examine the files relating to the land deal after he took a private action against Wicklow Co Council which had refused him permission.
In July, 1995, the council amended a development plan drawn up in January, 1994 rezoning part of the land from amenity use to quarrying.