Cllr wants council to be more forward with CPO approach
The council has been told to be more forthright in how the authority uses the Compulsory Purchase Order system to acquire land or property without the consent of the owner in cases of “pedestrian and driver safety”.
Independent Shane P O’Reilly made the point as he claimed a specific project in his own area was currently in “limbo” where the local landowner was refusing to accede to requests to handover between 2-300 metres in order to install pedestrian infrastructure.
He asked why CPO wasn’t used more, and complained that if the process had been applied for at the start, circa 2008, then it would have avoided the “legal wrangling” and the required land “would have been secured at this stage”.
“I think we don’t use CPO enough,” stated Cllr O’Reilly, adding that cost should not be a reason not to proceed.
He said he could get “very frustrated” when projects failed to “get over the line” as a result of landowners refusing to give up lands.
“It won’t be popular, I never said it would, but I have to say it as it is.”
His comments were supported by Brendan Fay (Ind).
Director of Services Paddy Connaughton responded by saying that CPO takes place to allow a public infrastructure project to go ahead for the “common good”.
He said too that the “right of the owner was very high”.
Mr Connaughton told the meeting there is a legislative framework in place that must be followed and adhered to. It was not something that could just be applied in “individual cases”.
To comply with what Cllr O’Reilly was asking would require a “change in regulation rather than a change to the policy at Cavan County Council”.
Cllr O’Reilly disagreed and said he was “disappointed” that projects which “could save lives” could be held up in such a way with no recourse.
Cathaoirleach John Paul Feeley asked at what cost was bringing a CPO justifiable.
“We spent €20 million to change light bulbs in colleges,” retorted Cllr O’Reilly. “When it comes to a person’s life, there shouldn’t be any cost benefit analysis.”