Written report sought into cost of Dealz retail park case
THE cost of an enforcement action taken by Wexford County Council against Dealz in Wexford Retail Park in Clonard was queried.
Cllr Lisa McDonald said the council’s case against the company was struck out with no order to costs at court the previous Friday.
Seeking a written report on how much was spent on the case to date over the last three years, Cllr McDonald said: ‘It appears to me that this makes no sense. There seems to be no strategy in relation to this matter. We are being selective in the way we are dealing with this.’
Director of Services for Economic Development Tony Larkin said a case would now be taken at circuit court level.
‘It’s undesirable that it (the decision) came quite late in the day, but it’s the way it was decided at the sharp end,’ Mr Larkin said.
Cllr McDonald sought a written report of all the costs incurred by the council, saying: ‘As I understand it there was a senior counsel there last week. We are trying to create jobs. I don’t have any axe to grind.’
Mr Larkin said the council’s policy is set out in development plan. ‘ The value of stopping supermarkets going out of the town (can’t be overstated), otherwise you have high street shops in retail parks. It’s always a matter of balance. Some of these shops are straightforward high street shops.’
Mr Larkin said Wexford County Council has been very successful throughout the Celtic Tiger period in maintaining a strong retail trade in Wexford despite pressure to allow retailers locate outside the town centre. ‘You have to keep fighting for the hard yards,’ he said.
Cllr McDonald said the council are honouring the plan in the breach rather than in the observance. ‘We need to get our house in order and not be hypocritical.’
Mr Larkin said: ‘We are taking on the most obvious and blatant examples. Imagine the reaction we are going to get to all of the minor infractions.’
‘Does that mean request denied?’ Cllr McDonald said.
‘Planning enforcement is not the reserve function of members; it’s for the executive,’ Mr Larkin replied.
Cllr John Hegarty said: ‘Anyone who takes a drive through Arklow can see what can happen.’