Donegal planning corruption report still 'under consideration' – seven years on

A report into alleged planning corruption in Donegal still remains “under consideration” - some seven years after its completion.

The Mulcahy Report was completed seven years ago, in June 2017, but remains on the desk of the Housing Minister, Darragh O'Brien.

The report. Delivered by Rory Mulcahy, a High Court judge who was a senior counsel at the time, has never been published.

"The Minister is considering the report and will bring this matter to Government for consideration in due course,” a spokesperson for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage told Donegal Live this week.

“The review is a scoping report and as such it does not make findings as to the truth or otherwise of allegations that have been made by an individual against named persons.

“The Attorney General's office has been consulted on both the content of the report and also on the issue of its potential publication and dissemination.”

Whistleblower Gerard Convie alleged some irregularities in Donegal County Council's planning department in the early 2000s and he presented a list of 20 samples to the government.

In 2013, the Department of Environment withdrew a review, overturned findings which questioned the whistleblower's motives, and apologised to Mr Convie.

In 2015, Mr Mulcahy was commissioned to conduct another review. His report has not seen the light of day.

The Department spokesperson told Donegal Live that decisions of the Commissioner for Environmental Information in 2019 and the Information Commissioner in 2020, would be “taken into account”

In each of these cases, both the Commissioner for Environmental Information and the Information Commissioner decided not to grant access to the report.

The Office of the Information Commissioner decision stated "placing the details concerned in the public domain would significantly breach the rights to privacy of identifiable individuals."

The spokesperson added that it is a “matter that requires careful consideration given that the report details unproven allegations against named persons."

This week, a meeting of Donegal County Council heard a motion of no confidence in Minister O'Brien.

The motion was tabled by 100% Redress Councillor Tomas Sean Devine and seconded by his party colleague Councillor Ali Farren.

A counter motion was tabled by Fianna Fáil Councillor Ciaran Brogan and seconded by his party colleague Councillor Liam Blaney asking to defer the vote of no confidence, noting that the Minister was due in Donegal soon.

With the counter motion failing, with 11 votes for and 18 agains, the original motion of Councillor Devine was passed.

Cathaoirleach Councillor Niamh Kennedy, who voted for Councillor Brogan's counter motion said she believed a motion of no confidence would sent out a bad message.

Councillor Kennedy said: “I completely get where everybody is coming from, it’s a very frustrating time but I do think it’s the wrong time to send out this message. I think it could be done in September.

“It’s coming close to an election anyway and the people will decide the fate of every Minister and TD coming forward.”

Sinn Féin Councillor Gary Doherty said the negative message represented “the reality for thousands of people who are homeless, thousands who are living in rented accommodation with no prospect to own their own home and thousands who are on council housing waiting lists the length and breadth of the country.”

He added: “The negative reality is that people don’t have confidence in the Housing Minister. It’s widely accepted that we are in the middle of a housing emergency.”