FINGAL county councillors last night cast aside over 2,000 public objections and voted overwhelmingly to confirm their controversial land rezoning decisions in the Swords area - with a few minor changes.
They had earlier been told by the county manager, Mr William Soffe, that the plans - affecting 367 acres of agricultural land - did not amount to "large scale rezoning" for residential and industrial development.
Following objections from Cllr Sean Ryan TD (Labour), Mr Soffe said the overloaded sewage treatment plant could be upgraded to cater for the extra population.
Cllr Ryan, along with Cllr David Healy (Green), accused the manager and the council's planners of executing a "somersault" from their previously stated position which sought to limit land rezonings to a population equivalent of 5,200.
The effect of the council's decisions last night would be to double this figure and, according Cllr Ryan, the only beneficiaries would be the property interests who would see the value of their land soar.
An attempt by Cllr Ryan to have the rezoning decisions deferred pending further studies on sewage treatment, traffic management and a DART or light rail serving Swords, was ruled out of order by the Cathaoirleach Cllr Anne Devitt (FG).
Cllr Devitt, who sponsored most of the rezonings in partnership with Cllr Cyril Gallagher (FF), maintained such a brisk pace in going through the motions that Cllr Michael O'Donovan (Labour) asked her to "give us a chance to think between votes".
Cllr Gallagher rejected charges that he was "the dinosaur trying to destroy Swords". As for holding to its previously agreed development boundary, he paraphrased Parnell: "I've never put a boundary to the onward march of a nation and I never will".
Despite a recommendation from the county manager and the chief planning officer, Mr Douglas Hyde, the council voted by 19 to three to overshoot the development boundary in the Rathbeale Road area by rezoning over 100 acres for housing and industry.
The councillors also decided to rezone other parcels of land in Fosterstown North, Barryspark/Drinan and Crowscastle, with Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and PD councillors all voting in favour while most Labour members and the Greens voted against.
Plans to locate a new Fingal county hall on the site of the town park opposite Swords Castle - which Mr Cllr Ryan argued "could be another Stephen's Green" - were also approved overwhelmingly. There were more than 2,000 objections to this proposal.
Throughout the council meeting, Swords Community Council members picketed its O'Connell Street headquarters.
