Sir, - I agree with the general thrust of what Kevin Myers has said recently about the proposed development of Ballymore Eustace, Co Kildare. It is a disgrace that this village will be destroyed by the type of development that is being allowed in the name of "progress". I have been following the reaction of the vast majority of the local people and the rage they feel towards those whom they perceive as being responsible for what is going to happen to their village.
They are happy that they have most of the councillors on their side, but I feel that their analysis and that of your columnist is wrong. The chief culprit in this unhappy saga is not the county manager or the deputy county manager. They were wrong in my view to agree to this scale of development. In taking this decision, however, they would have been guided by Section 26 of the Planning Act which governs the "proper planning and development" of the area, but also by the Co Kildare Development Plan - and the land was zoned for housing in this plan. And who had the responsibility to rezone this land, allowing for the scale of development that will engulf and destroy this picturesque village? The Kildare county councillors who were members when the Development Plan was enacted. Those same councillors who are now very anxious to show that they support the residents of Ballymore Eastace must explain to the residents why they rezoned the land in question. They are the people who should be pilloried. It seems hypocritical to be the ones who rezoned the land and then to seem to be on the objectors' side when the land is developed. - Yours, etc., Donal Corcoran,
Lakeside Park, Naas, Co Kildare.