Report Paul Murphy
The Standards in Public Office Commission (Sipo) has found that former Meath County Council Cathaoirleach Tommy Reilly was “recklessly “ in breach of the Code of Conduct for Councillors in relation to a planning issue involving his son. In its report on the issue today the commission concluded that Mr Reilly “recklessly failed to disclose his son’s interest in Lands at Liscarton at a special Meath County Council planning meeting at which rezoning of the land on the Navan-Kells Road was to be discussed, even though he had excused himself on the grounds of conflict of interest. The 63-page report from the commission was published today and it said that the breaches were of a serious rather than a minor matter”.

The commission found that there were seven breaches of the local government regulations by Cllr Reilly. A two-day hearing into the alleged breaches of the Local Government Act 2001 and the Code of Conduct was conducted by the commission in June and chaired by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan. In the course of the hearing the commission investigated the former Fianna Fail’s councillor’s involvement in the rezoning of a 35-acre site at Liscarton, Navan. The land is owned by Mr Reilly’s son Ciarán following the rezoning its value rose from €500,000 to €4.2 million in 2017.

Summary of Findings
1.In respect of Navan Municipal meetings on 27th July 2016 and Mcc meeting on 8th May 2017 and 20th May 2017, he failed to disclose       his son’s interests in the lands before discussion about the lands commenced and failed to withdraw from the meetings while the matter     was  being discussed.
2. Failed to disclose at those meetings the fact of his son’s interest in the lands.
3. At a special planning meeting on 19th July 2017 failed to disclose his son’s interest in the lands.
4. At a MCC special planning meeting on 19th July 2017 he contravened the Code of Conduct by failing to disclose his son’s interests in the       lands before discussion on the lands commenced.
5. Contravened regulations by attending a pre-planning consultation on those lands.
6. That he contravened the Local Government Act 2001 by failing to maintain proper standards integrity, conduct and concern for the       public interests in carrying out his function as a councillor.
7. His conduct was inconsistent with the proper performance of his duties.

Mr Reilly was contacted for comment.