Square plan will 'influence' town future

The recent decision by An Bord Pleanala to grant planning permission for Pat Dunlea's Market Square development will likely 'have an influence' on what happens in Kilcullen's future, the recent KCA meeting was told.

Kieran Forde, the group's chairman, also said that 'it would be interesting' to see where things go as a result.

He said that Pat Dunlea's 'vision' is the one that had been upheld in the appeal process and that he accepted that. "I'm sure there will be discussions on further visions for Kilcullen," he said, adding that there should now be an end to the matter of the Market Square development.

Margaret O'Shea agreed, saying that the appeal which they had taken against the development had been agreed at a public meeting, and that there had been nothing 'vindictive' about it.

"It was our opinion and we were entitled to it," she said. "I think that the whole thing has gone through the process, and now should be forgotten about."

In response to a comment by Herbie Sheehan that a letter written during the controversy had 'caused a lot of trouble', Noel Clare said that the particular letter had been written by him personally and was not intended to reflect any policy of KCA.

"I will be quite happy to deal with it either personally or through the pages of The Bridge," he said. "But it is not a matter for a KCA meeting."

— Brian Byrne.