‘We all want the same thing’ – ‘embarrassing’ motion to rezone lands in Meath withdrawn after heated council debate
A controversial motion calling for the rezoning of lands across Meath has been withdrawn this week following a special meeting of Meath County Council that laid bare deep divisions among councillors.
The proposal sought to begin a variation of the County Development Plan 2021–2027 to reinstate lands that were de-zoned or restricted until after 2027.
Councillors in support of the motion argued it would help address the housing shortage, while those against warned it would breach planning law, risk flooding, and undermine responsible development.
The motion would have asked the local authority to rezone all lands previously zoned for residential or mixed-use development under the 2013–2019 plan, and to remove restrictions delaying development until after 2027.
The stated reason for the proposal was that “the lands referred to in this motion were de-zoned solely or primarily to comply with the Core Strategy-based figures contained within the National Planning Framework.”
“The population figures have subsequently been determined to be an underestimate of population at the time, now and in the future,” the motion stated, adding that the Minister for Housing had since directed local authorities to vary their development plans to provide additional land for housing and related development.
Opening the debate, Independent Councillor Brian Fitzgerald, who had walked out of last Monday’s monthly meeting when the issue was removed from the agenda, rejected claims that some of the proposed lands were on flood plains, calling such suggestions “disingenuous.”
“This motion is about so many young couples throughout the county who want to set up homes here but can’t afford to because they’re so limited in where they can buy,” he said. “So many people have had to emigrate. That’s what we’re trying to overcome.”
Fine Gael councillor Gerry O’Connor said that he opposed building on flood plains but wanted to see more houses delivered.
Independent councillor Nick Killian also spoke in support, thanking members who brought the motion forward.
“My only interest as a county councillor is that we provide the houses we need,” he said.
“All we are trying to do here is to move along to get us to build more houses, and I know we all want the same thing; we want to build houses for the people of county Meath and those who want to come and live here.”
However, the motion faced strong resistance from across the chamber.
Social Democrats councillor Ronan Moore called the proposal “embarrassing” and “a waste of time.” He said it defied national planning policy, council planning advice, and flood-risk assessments.
“There’s been talk about disrespect in recent days,” Cllr Moore said.
“But the real disrespect is requiring members and staff to attend a meeting on a motion that should never have been tabled.”
He warned that adopting the motion would have required the council to disregard legal advice and potentially face court challenges.
“That is not responsible governance,” he said.
“Rejecting professional planning advice only serves to benefit land speculators, not those desperately trying to get on the property ladder.”
Cllr Moore also warned that rezoning flood-prone lands would be “reckless.” Citing past disputes, he reminded colleagues that councillors had previously zoned land for a nursing home in Athboy despite warnings about flood risk — a decision later overturned by the Office of the Planning Regulator.
“Surely members should have learned from this,” he said. “Yet here we are again.”
Fine Gael councillor Paddy Meade said the meeting “should never have happened in the first place.”
“We all want to see more housing delivered in Meath, but this motion was far too broad and too loose,” he said.
“The line about ‘zoning any and all land’ could undo years of careful planning.” Cllr Meade argued that the "rushed timing” of the meeting left councillors unable to properly assess the implications or potential conflicts of interest.
“We received this motion on Friday and were voting on Monday,” he said.
“Without access to Planning or Land Registry over the weekend, we couldn’t do the research we normally would. Big decisions should never come at the last minute.”
He added that councillors had a duty to protect community spaces and avoid zoning land previously deemed unsuitable.
“We can provide homes without repeating the mistakes of the past — but only if we plan with care, fairness, and transparency,” he said.
Sinn Féin councillor Maria White said her party understood the motivation behind the motion but viewed it as a “quick-fix” approach to a complex crisis.
“We understand the argument that lands were originally de-zoned to comply with figures which we now know were an underestimation,” she said.
“But rezoning all those lands in a rushed fashion is not the responsible solution.” She noted that council planners had confirmed the county’s increased housing targets could still be met without rezoning.
“Therefore, any argument that we require all previously de-zoned lands to be rezoned in order to meet targets does not hold up,” she said. Cllr White also said some of the affected lands were on flood plains.
“As a councillor on the East Meath coast, I know first-hand the devastation flooding can cause,” she said.
“The answer is not more sandbags and flood defences, but greater consideration in the zoning of land.” She added that planning officials are currently assessing over 100 parcels of land to determine their serviceability and said it was “responsible and sensible to await the outcome of that work.”
“Bad decisions in planning can have disastrous results for homeowners, communities, and the environment,” she said.
“We have power here today, but also a huge responsibility.”
Independent councillor Yvonne Everard said she was “disgusted” by what she described as a “mad rush” to pass the motion.
“If this motion was to pass, it would be a disaster,” she said. Former Cathaoirleach Sharon Tolan (FG) said she opposed the proposal but understood the frustration behind it.
“We all want to get houses built for those who need them,” she said, but added that she was unsure what impact the motion might have on her own area of Laytown–Bettystown.
Amid the mounting opposition, one of the motion’s signatories, Fianna Fáil councillor Sean Drew, proposed that it be withdrawn, saying some colleagues had misunderstood its intent. The withdrawal was seconded by Fine Gael councillor Joe Fox.
Concluding the meeting, Meath County Council chief executive Kieran Kehoe said all councillors shared the same goal of getting homes built but “were coming from different angles.”
He confirmed that a draft variation of the County Development Plan will be published next spring, with a councillor workshop on the matter to take place on December 1.