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TARA na RÍ
Tara Tycoons – political cronies poised to make fortunes as controversial
motorway runs close to ancient site and right through their land – John Lee,
political correspondent
(Photo of the high cross on the hill with the text “Opponents of the new
motorway say ‘Valley of the Kings’ will be destroyed forever”)
(Three photos, Cathal McCarthy – backer, Frank Reynolds – tribunal, Joseph
Murphy – landbank)
Major developers who are also financial backers of Fianna Fáil stand to make
millions from the controversial M3 motorway which conservationists say will
destroy the historic Hill of Tara.
A company controlled by multi-millionaire builder Joseph Murphy Jr – whose
main business, JMSE, was exposed as corrupt the Flood tribunal – owns
valuable lands along the route.
So too does multi-millionaire Fianna Fáil backer Cathal McCarthy, formerly a
business partner of Frank Dunlop, the corrupt former government press
secretary, and of Des Richardson, a close friend of the Taoiseach.
Both Mr Murphy and Mr McCarthy stand to make millions from the sale of land
needed for the motorway – which campaigners say will destroy some of our
most important archaeological sites – and for the construction of
intersections.
But Mr Murphy, in particular, stands to make even more substantial profits
from the hundreds of acres of land which he owns within a few miles of the
motorway route and which may well be opened up for development once
construction is completed.
Support for the M3 route formed a major part of the Fianna Fáil campaign in
Friday’s by-election – even though archaeologists and ecological activists
have compared it to Egypt’s Valley of the Kings and insist that it should be
preserved.
Mr Murphy faces an investigation by the Criminal Assets Bureau after playing
a central role in the Flood/Mahon Tribunal into planning corruption.
Mr Murphy and Frank Reynolds, the former managing director of JMSE who was
also condemned by Mr Justice Fergus Flood, are beneficial directors of
Newland Properties Ltd with an address at Ashley House, Batterstown, Co
Meath.
Newland Properties owns 26 acres in Roestown, Ratoath, Co Meath, of which
five-and-a-half acres are subject to compulsory purchase by Meath County
Council for construction of the M3.
But in recent years, Newland Properties has bought up more than 130 acres in
nearby Ratoath, Dunshaughlin, Dunboyne and ther parts of south Meath near
the proposed route.
Though the CPO on the five-and-half acres is expected to net the company
about €5m, the real potential for profit is in its other properties beside
and near the M3 route.
Inevitably, there will be pressure to rezone this land for housing and
industrial development – a move that would bring in millions more for the
two building magnates, according to property experts.
Frank Reynolds said the company owned more than 100 acres “if you take in
Dublin and other places”.
“I think if you ask anybody whose land will be affected by the M3 or N2,
they would say they’d rather have the land. I wouldn’t say I’ make a killing
on it. You can’t do much with land that has a road running through it”, said
Mr Reynolds.
“I don’t know if you can do much with it building-wise as people don’t want
to live by a motorway”.
Land Registry documents show that Newland Properties also has a massive land
portfolio in Dublin. JMSE has made huge financial contributions to Fianna
Fáil and the Progressive Democrats.
Tribunal star James Gogarty, when accompanying Joseph Murphy and another
corrupt building tycoon, Mick Bailey, to a 1989 meeting with now jailed
ex-minister Ray Burke to make a corrupt €30,000 contribution, innocently
asked: “Will we get a receipt?”
“Will we f***,” was the reply.
Cathal McCarthy, meanwhile, has made millions from the development of Navan
town centre in partnership with another rich developer, Gerry Duignan.
IoS has seen files that show Mr McCarthy owns 12 acres at the most
controversial interchange on the motorway – right beside the Hill of Tara,
ancient seat of the High Kings of Ireland.
An additional 200-acre landback beside the interchange site was transferred
to the name of Mr McCarthy since April 2004. The land is highly valuable
given its proximity to the interchange and the M3.
Opponents of the current route of the new motorway argue that the 29-acre,
floodlit interchange will damage the Hill of Tara.
It has also been learned that in 1999, Mr McCarthy and Mr Duignan –
registered with the Public Offices Commission as Duignan & McCarthy, PO Box
44, Navan, Co Meath – contributed £30,500 to Fianna Fáil.
The contributions are listed as ‘£2,500 for attendance at a fundraiser,
£3,000 for attendance at a fundraiser and £25,000 for attendance at a
fundraiser’.
taken from the Save Tara / Skryne Valley Group at http://www.taraskryne.org
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