Councillor succeeds in getting his own land rezoned

[2Pack]

What local media pray tell , I had not seen much since that meeting 2 months back ?? I would enjoy an FF bunfight

Bugger all here

issuu.com/connemaraview/docs/apr … emara_view

[daltonr]

I saw the thread title: Councillor succeeds in getting his own land rezoned
and for some reason (perhaps I’m psychic) I KNEW it would be FF.

The country is beyond saving, beyond hope.

-Rd

[BudFox]

These corrupt councillers/planning officials are a worldwide problem in less developed countries as can be seen by the destruction of the Brazlian rainforest etc. It highlights how the rural gombeen parts of Ireland are far closer to Africa and South America than they are to Europe both in terms of the people they elect and the actions of the those elected once they gain power.

[scalliewag]

where is the enforcement in this country?
again nothing of legal consequence is pursued in matters such as this:
Outrageous
Gormleys new planning guidelines better be good and have some retroactive effect otherwise these gombeens get to go home with the “windfall” even if they are not returned on June 5th.

couple this with their “€10m golden handshake for councillors beaten in polls”
tribune.ie/news/article/2009 … en-in-pol/

why is there no enforcement?
Code of Conduct for Councillors
environ.ie/en/Publication…ad,1956,en.pdf

3. Conflict of personal and public interest

3.1 The Act prohibits a councillor from influencing or seeking to
influence a decision of a local authority in any matter with
which the local authority is concerned in the performance of its
functions and in which, or related to which, the councillor has
actual knowledge that s/he or a connected person has a
pecuniary or other beneficial interest.

3.2 The Act (and previously the 1976 Planning Act) sets out specific
requirements regarding declaration/disclosure of interests by
councillors. All councillors and certain employees must
complete and furnish to the ethics registrar an annual
declaration setting out declarable interests which are
maintained in a public register. Annual declaration forms are
supplied by the ethics registrar. Declarable interests are mainly
of a financial/property/business nature and are set out in the
Act.

3.3 Additionally, under the Act councillors must disclose at a
meeting of the local authority or of its committees any
pecuniary or other beneficial interest, (of which they have
actual knowledge1) they or a connected person2 have in, or
material to, any matter with which the local authority is
concerned in the discharge of its functions, and which comes
before the meeting. The councillor must withdraw from the
meeting after disclosure and must not vote or take part in any
discussion or consideration of the matter.

3.4 The Act also provides that where a councillor has actual
knowledge that a matter is going to arise at a meeting at which
s/he will not be present, but if s/he were, a disclosure would
be necessary, then s/he must in advance of the meeting make
such disclosure in writing to the ethics registrar.

3.5 The foregoing statutory requirements, must be observed at all
times and failure to do so is an offence. Analogous statutory
requirements also apply to staff; and to external members of
committees with the exception of the annual declaration in
their case.

3.6 The law as mentioned above sets out a framework for
disclosure of what are termed ‘pecuniary or other beneficial
interests’. However there may be other private or personal
interests (not necessarily involving financial matters) which
can also pose a real potential for conflict of interest or damage
to public confidence in local government. Such interests could
include family, close friends or business associates, as well as
those arising through a position of responsibility in a club,
society or other organisation. Private or personal interests of
this kind must not be allowed to conflict with public duty or
improperly influence the decision making process. Where such
interests, of which a councillor is aware, arise in relation to a
matter which comes before a meeting for consideration they
should be dealt with in a transparent fashion. This is necessary
so that public trust and confidence in local government is
upheld – disclosure of such an interest is invariably
appropriate except where it is of a remote or insignificant
nature; if in doubt disclosure should be made. The public
perception of the way a councillor is seen to deal with such
matters is important for the maintenance of trust in local
government.

3.7 The test to be applied by a councillor is not just what s/he
might think - but rather whether a member of the public
knowing the facts of the situation would reasonably think that
the interest concerned might influence the person in the
performance of his or her functions. If so, disclosure should
follow and a councillor should consider whether in the
circumstances s/he should withdraw from consideration of the
matter. In this context it is important to ensure that as well as
the avoidance of actual impropriety, occasions for suspicion
and appearance of improper conduct are also avoided in case
of private or personal interests.

3.8 This is all the more so where the nature of a councillor’s
occupation, profession or business is such that it interfaces to a
significant degree with local authority functions (e.g. related to
land development or property transactions). There is a special
onus on the person concerned to take extra care in these
circumstances.

3.9 Councillors must not seek to use their official position **so as to
benefit improperly themselves, **their professional or business
interests, or others with whom they have personal, family or
other ties. Likewise they must not seek to use or pass on for
personal gain or the personal gain of others, off i c i a l
information which is not in the public domain, or information
obtained in confidence as a result of their public position.

3.10 The Act provides that it is the duty of every councillor (and
employee) to maintain proper standards of integrity, conduct
and concern for the public interest. Councillors should base
their conduct on a consideration of the public interest and the
common good. They are individually responsible for being
alert to potential conflict of interest, avoiding such conflicts and
for ensuring that their actions, whether covered specifically or
otherwise by this Code, are governed by the ethical and other
considerations implicit in it.

4. Planning

4.1 Key decisions on planning matters such as the making of
development plans are vested in the elected council as
representatives of the local community acting in the interests of
the common good and the proper planning and sustainable
development of the area. The planning system is a very open
one allowing for input by all parties. It is all the more
important therefore that consideration of planning matters by
councillors is carried out in a transparent fashion; follows due
process; and is based on what is relevant while ignoring that
which is irrelevant within the requirements of the statutory
planning framework. The same applies as regards input by
individual councillors in relation to planning applications,
decisions on which vest in the executive.

4.2 Extra care must therefore be observed in dealing with planning
matters and in this context the provisions of this Code
particularly as regards conflict of personal and public interest
(see Section 3) are very relevant.

[2Pack]

Josie partially suceeded in the end although most of his other pork barrel rezonings were thrown out

galwaynews.ie/7643-councillo … forts-fail

FIANNA Fail Councillor Josie Conneely’s bid to push through residential rezoning on land beside his Clifden hotel failed after his own colleagues abstained or voted against him following an opposition campaign by local residents led by the West Galway Coroner.

However a second controversial rezoning on his site overlooking Ardbear Waterfall was voted through despite the objections of senior planners who had proposed to change the agricultural zoning to recreation and amenity, making it ideal for a town park.

[2Pack]

Firstly I wish to thank all these people for the confidence they expressed in their own town, Clifden Co. Galway , and for all the money they invested to keep Clifden moving forward . The number of bankers who dipped into their own pockets to fund this laudable venture is touching , very touching .

galwaynews.ie/8537-disneylan … -investors

A MULTI-MILLION euro investment beside Disneyworld in Florida – planned and organised in Connemara - has turned into a legal nightmare, with a number of local investors fearing massive losses and facing a costly court action to recover any of their cash.

None of the planned work on 100 villas beside Disneyworld has been carried out by the American-based businessman with whom the Clifden syndicate linked up.

They have now taken court action against the businessman Shammand Maharaj – otherwise known as Sham Marahaj - in order to try and get their investment back. That case is expected to come before the courts in Florida next month.

The main shareholder in the syndicate was the late John Cusack, a well known builder and developer in the Midlands who invested about €7.5m. But a group from the west Connemara area also invested substantial amounts – well over a €1m per individual in some cases.

**Those who are known to have been involved in the €15m investment include Kevin Barry, an accountant in Clifden; Declan Maher, a bank manager in Clifden; Brian Hughes, a Clifden hotelier and businessman, and businessman and former county councillor Josie Conneely from Ballyconneely. Joseph Glynn, who formerly lived in Ballyconneely and is now resident in east Galway, was also an investor. It is understood that another person from Connemara was also an investor as were individuals from Roscommon and Clare and a bank official from Galway city.
**

Sham is quite an operator

paisolafacts.blogspot.com/2008/0 … vista.html

[jake76]

@2Pack

Sham is quite an operator

paisolafacts.blogspot.com/2008/0 … vista.html

I persume Sham is from Tuam.

[HouseBuyer]

At least karma has come to bite Josie Conneely in the ass. He’s the councillor who tried to get his own land zoned as residential awhile back.

buckplanning.blogspot.com/2009/0 … s-own.html

[grumpy]

When did they do the investment?

[InForADime]

paisolafacts.blogspot.com/2008/0 … vista.html

So, if you are a victim of Sham Maharaj and Buena Vista Corporation and have received a letter from their attorneys, or better yet, if you have been sued by their companies

‘Great news guys! I’m being sued!’

[2Pack]

Sham was director of the following Irish Companies

Current Directorships (5)
Company Number Company Name Company Status
422286 BILTMORE HOTELS AND RESORTS WORLD WIDE LIMITED Dissolved
422287 BUENA VISTA CORPORATION LIMITED Dissolved
422288 BILTMORE HOTELS LIMITED Dissolved
422290 BILTMORE RESORTS LIMITED Dissolved
422310 BVC PARTNERS LIMITED Dissolved

BVC partners were linked to BVC Gardens which was the development company ( I think)

see

corporationwiki.com/Florida/ … 12895.aspx

[spqr64]

So am I right in saying the whole thing was a sham?

[The_Naked_Chef]

@spqr64

So am I right in saying the whole thing was a sham?

Please leave.

[fishfoodie]

How anyone in the last 10 years thought that building condos in Florida around Disney was a good way to make money I will never know

Land scams started off with selling swamp land in Florida, I suppose its a tried & true way of hauling in the suckers

[narcissus]

Good luck to Sham, he seems like a Bertie type of person.

He just snared a few Irish Gobshites with high asperations and money to waste.

Sure there was lots of them around at that time.

[chaingang]

Marahaj was His sham name ,do ye know nottin in de sttled comunity.Good dog, good dog.I wonder was Tommy T.involved since He left Navan to live in Galway,Had’nt He a thing about Disneyland??..Interesting how all these fuckers are happy making their millions in Ireland,and then spend it in fucking Florida of all places.Was there nothing to invest in ,in Ireland,and before ye all jump all over my arse ,I dont mean invest in property,so there.!!! This josie CON neely seems colourfull,just like the stroke Fahey et al. Must be something in the water down in Galway Bay.?? What say you Mr. 2-pack our western correspondent ???

[verbatim]

Article in the Sunday Times says that AIB are currently investigating Mr Declan Maher the branch manager in Clifden. Apparently he “issued a $60m loan guarantee to his own business partnership”. The letter was issued to Kevin Barry, an accountant who was also an investor.

The name of the entity is BMB Partnership and comprises Barry, Maher and Barry’s father.

[Orwellgeorge]

And of course FF are up to thier necks in this too, former councillor Josie Conneely. It sounds a bit suspect as branch managers can’t authorise such big loans alone. This could run deep and those proposing NAMA should get to the bottom of such scandels.

[2Pack]

@verbatim

Article in the Sunday Times says that AIB are currently investigating Mr Declan Maher the branch manager in Clifden. Apparently he “issued a $60m loan guarantee to his own business partnership”. The letter was issued to Kevin Barry, an accountant who was also an investor.

The name of the entity is BMB Partnership and comprises Barry, Maher and Barry’s father.

Don’t you worry , Eamonn O Cuiv will have the entire $60m inside NAMA by next week and we will end up with somewhere to put our pensioners in the winter .

This letter was issued 4 years ago, maybe even 6 years ago ( see below) , why are AIB still investigating ?? More to the point , how many OTHER AIB branch managers issued similar letters ???

**
Date: 04-08-2005-

Clifden duo swoop to buy $100m Florida property
BY JULIE TIERNEY**

BMB Partnership, a Clifden-based property investment firm, has purchased a much sought after property in Orlando, Florida, on behalf of its investors for a price of $100m.

Stateside, this deal is being seen as a major coup by property dealers and developers. BMB is owned by Kevin Barry of Kevin Barry & Co Accountants and Declan Maher, currently manager of AIB Bank, Clifden, Co Galway.

Before commencing his own practice, Mr Barry worked with Price Waterhouse in Dublin and the Caymen Islands, while Mr Maher has managed AIB branches in Dundalk, Ardee, and Kells before moving west. As well as their expertise in their professions, both men have considerable experience of property transactions and investment opportunities, both in Ireland and abroad.

This unique lakefront property, known as Diamond Lake, is one of the last large undeveloped sites close to Walt Disney World and Universal Studios. It is situated a few minutes drive from the main entrance into Disney World and sits right beside the renowned International Drive. Orlando’s 70,000 capacity Convention Centre is only minutes away in the opposite direction.

While currently a green field site surrounding a large and beautiful lake, the plan is to create a first class mixed use development that will be a new and exciting destination in Orlando. There are planning entitlements to build three hotels, a vacation centre, condo units, several restaurants, 75 retail outlets, and more than 110 exclusive villas.

Some of the world’s top hotel groups have bid for the right to place their franchise on this site and many of America’s foremost retail brand names have sought to lease the various outlets. A number of prominent sports superstars have enquired about purchasing a villa on the development. Already, it appears this site will house Orlando’s most spectacular vacation and shopping centre.

BMB view the purchase as exceptional value, with square foot prices and rental returns well ahead of an already buoyant market.

“It has taken two years of research in Orlando and at least the last 12 months to position ourselves for this deal,” said Mr Barry. "We have now built up a network of contacts in Florida - developers, building firms, project managers, realty brokers, lawyers, and tax advisors. We have concentrated on ensuring that each of these are at the very top of their respective professions.

“At home in Ireland, KPMG has advised on taxation issues. This has greatly assisted in closing this deal, providing a good legal structure and finding a tax efficient investment for our Irish based clients. In the main, our clients are developers, hoteliers, and bankers, and therefore very knowledgeable of this type of transaction. We are now in a position to offer them investment opportunities with the hotels and retail units on this site.”

Property in the USA is booming and Florida is doing particularly well with 20 per cent price increases expected in 2005. The best places for investment are the Disney area in Orlando and along the Atlantic coast.

The demand for rental property in Orlando is massive. More than 77 million visitors a year are attracted by its major theme parks, and the area hosts 15,000 business conventions annually. The Convention Centre, America’s second largest, houses 70,000 people and is booked out for the next seven years.

The BMB site is one of very few in such a central area that is zoned for short term rentals – this clearly puts the investors in a strong position. Add to this the weak dollar, and the attraction is obvious.

Average hotel occupancy is 83 per cent, the highest in America, while the average daily rate for rooms is four per cent above the national average. In fact, at times, it is almost impossible to book a hotel room in Orlando, and many visitors end up staying 30 and 40 miles away.

“Florida offers one of the best places to invest in property in the world,” according to Mr Mahon. “It offers very strict regulation on property sales, the estate agents are licenced and well educated, and demand for property far outstrips supply. Add to that the outstanding attractions, a fabulous climate, an English speaking population and the weak dollar, and it is easy to see why we intend to stay and offer our clients future opportunities.”

BMB specialises in the structuring, development, and syndication of large scale property deals, and can be contacted at 095 22741 or by logging onto www.bmb.ie

[Orwellgeorge]

Has Maher been suspended?