City councillor accused of ‘unethical behaviour’

A member of Galway City Council has been accused of engaging in behaviour that is irregular, unethical and highly questionable when he vehemently opposed the conversion of a neighbour’s garage into an office.

And the matter is being brought before the Standards in Public Office Commission as the applicant believes that city planners were also strongly opposed to the development.

Last August, barrister Brendan Naughton from 12 White Oakes, Clybaun Road, Knocknacarra was refused planning permission to retain his converted garage for an office and library. He was also refused planning for a rear extension to link the garage to the main dwelling, but the decision was overturned on appeal to An Bord Pleanála.

The Planning Appeals Board was of the opinion that the retention of the converted garage would not injure the residential amenity of the area and would not set an undesirable precedent for similar developments in the vicinity.

The development was opposed by nearby resident Cllr Niall McNeilis and another neighbour, Ronan O’Connor, who believed that it would be rented out and lead to anti-social behaviour, and Mr Naughton says he believes there were determined efforts to prevent him from being granted planning permission.

Mr Naughton alleges that Galway City Council provided the Labour councillor and the other appellant with the resources, supports and assistance to oppose his application.

He said that it was a development of such a minor scale and character that it could not cause the slightest interference with either of the objectors, their properties or the residential amenities of the area.

“It is disconcerting for me that a political member of Galway City Council is allowed to be engaged in this type of activity which, in my view, is quite irregular, unethical and highly questionable”, he said.

Mr Naughton claimed that Cllr McNeilis “did their bidding for them” by opposing his application to provide an office and library which would be used in conjunction with his work as a barrister.

An Bord Pleanala were of the opinion that the proposed extension would facilitate the linkage of the house to the garage and they considered that this was an acceptable development.