A woman who received an apology from the Kilkenny county manager said last night she was "stunned" by the contents of a newspaper article which was also enclosed.
Ms Judith Ashton received the apology from the manager, Mr P.J. Donnelly, on Friday, following an investigation by the Department of the Environment into the pressure she said she was placed under to sell a site to a county councillor. Ms Ashton had complained to the Department about the intervention of Mr Donnelly after she refused to sell the site near Thomastown to independent councillor Mr Dixie Doyle.
Mr Donnelly was told last week by the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, that he had acted outside his remit and should formally apologise to Ms Ashton.
In his apology, Mr Donnelly said at no time was it his intention to exert any pressure on her to sell her site to Cllr Doyle.
Mr Donnelly also enclosed, without comment, a copy of the lead story from last week's Kilkenny People with the headline, "Witch Hunt Claim". Cllr Doyle, in an interview with the paper, had claimed he was the victim of a witch-hunt.
Mr Donnelly's secretary said he was at meetings yesterday afternoon and could not be contacted for comment.
