by Alan Jacques
SINN Féin councillor Maurice Quinlivan has hit out at Willie O’Dea accusing him of “talking out of both sides of his moustache” in relation to his views on the Horizon Mall.
But the Fianna Fáil social protection spokesman responded by asking that if he was speaking out of both sides of his mouth, what part of Mr Quinlivan’s body was he speaking from?
Cllr Quinlivan had claimed that the planning controversy once more exposed the former Minister’s failure to advocate for Limerick City during his many years in government.
“His born-again concern for city planning is more than a little ironic. Willie O’Dea is talking out of both sides of his moustache on this Horizon Mall planning debacle.
“He has been a TD for Limerick for over 30 years. During these wasted years Limerick City centre’s trade was being systematically cannibalised by out-of-town shopping centres,” he added.
Cllr Quinlivan claims that as a government minister “firmly ensconced in his ministerial Mercedes at the height of the so called Celtic Tiger”, Willie O’Dea was well aware that this economic doughnut effect was sucking the life blood out of city centre business.
“Economic experts told us that we needed coherent planning in the greater Limerick City area. The problem was that responsibility was divided between the old City Council and the old County Council. The County Council had little interest in the fate of Limerick City centre and were happy to grant planning permission and wait for the rates money to roll in. Time and again the government were asked to act on this issue by granting a city boundary extension.
“As a government minister, Willie O’Dea was in a position to deliver on the boundary extension for Limerick City. He failed to do so as this would have meant upsetting his Fianna Fáil colleagues in County Limerick who were more than happy with the rate money flowing into the County Council coffers.
“Willie O’Dea had a chance to do something important for Limerick City but instead sat on his hands. He put the interests of the Fianna Fáil party ahead of the well-being of Limerick City. The disastrous results for our city centre are there for all to see,” he declared.
In response, Deputy O’Dea told the Limerick Post, “I’m absolutely blown away – if that’s not a loaded term — by the hypocrisy of Sinn Féin. Are these the same Sinn Féin who did a pretend survey amongst the residents in the vicinity of this proposed development, asking people if they wanted the planning to go ahead or not, as if they had a say in the matter.”
“This of course was a bogus exercise of pretend empathy with the residents, which is so characteristic of Sinn Féin. Their modus operandi is to come along when there’s a problem and pretend to be concerned. They never simply do anything about it. They’ve pushed themselves to the forefront of the water protest despite initially having agreed with the water charges — the result of one by-election in Dublin explains this Pauline conversion,” claimed Deputy O’Dea.
He said he was “heartened” by Sinn Féin’s newfound concern to have a thriving city centre in Limerick in view of the fact that the organisation that spawned them “specialised in blowing up city centres and murdering and maiming countless people while doing so”.
“The plain truth, a concept alien to Sinn Féin, is that firstly Fianna Fáil did not have control of Limerick City or County Council for a long time and secondly, any Government has no control over what planning decisions are taken by any local authority or An Bord Pleanála.
“Mr Quinlivan may expect to try to persuade people that it is otherwise, but then again he expects the same people to believe that Gerry Adams was never a member of the IRA. If I’m speaking out of both sides of my mouth, I have to ask what part of Mr Quinlivan’s body is he speaking from?”, Deputy O’Dea asked.
