The Irish Govt is trying to rewrite planning laws in the middle of a High Court case it’s losing.
Kevin "Boxer" Moran's old friendships & alliances shattered. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael councillors now at war with their own Party.
This is extraordinary.... 🍿
The Site
Lissywollen IPAS centre in Athlone was pushed through in 2024 under “emergency” planning powers for up to 1,000 men.
Locals were not consulted and they pushed back.
Local Democracy in Action!
Four Councillors, Paul Hogan (Independent Ireland), Frankie Keena (Fianna Fáil), Aengus O’Rourke (Fianna Fáil) and John Dolan (Fine Gael), launched a High Court challenge.
Kevin “Boxer” Moran, then still a councillor, was a co-signatory.
Did you know that Morgan McSweeney's Mum & Dad have been paid €8.4M+ by the Irish Govt for asylum accommodation... with all profits routed through a Cyprus shell company??
...🧵
The name of the company is "TÓGÁIL VEILBHIT GLAS TEORANTA"
Set up very recently in Feb 2023, it has already been paid €8.4million!! Tim & Carmel McSweeney are directors, secretary.
Tógáil Veilbhit Glas Teoranta is owned by another Irish company Velvet Quality Systems which is ultimately controlled by Cerapon Ltd, a holding company based in Cyprus.
Each of which links back to Tim McSweeny and his business partners.
The Irish Presidency is a constitutional safeguard. 🇮🇪
Under Article 26, the President can refer a bill to the Supreme Court. It’s happened just 15 times.
Here are the 6 times a President stood up for the Constitution, and won ! 🏆 🧵
Planning and Development Bill, 2000
President: Mary McAleese
Concerned land use, zoning, and environmental regulations.
The Court found parts of the bill were unconstitutionally vague and failed to provide sufficient procedural safeguards for affected individuals and property owners.
Employment Equality Bill, 1997
President: Mary Robinson
Sought to expand anti-discrimination laws to cover religious-run institutions like schools and hospitals.
The Supreme Court found sections of the bill infringed the right of religious bodies to protect their ethos, protected under Article 44.2.5.
Remember the Govt’s White Paper to end Direct Provision? It promised asylum seekers their own front door.
The reality is that millions have been paid to an Isle of Man🇮🇲controlled company to buy up portfolios of houses for itself & lease them back to the State...🧵
Background
In 2021 Roderic O'Gorman launched a new strategy to end direct provision whereby asylum seekers would be given with their own houses....
One company saw a major opportunity - "Dídean Dochas Eireann Teoranta"
They launched a lobbying campaign of top Ministers, TDs & Senior Civil Servants to set out their plan..
They even had a one on one with An Taoiseach Micheál Martin👀