Labour representatives on Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council are at odds over a council plan to redevelop Dún Laoghaire baths.
Party spokesman for the environment Eamon Gilmore has said he will oppose the plan to redevelop the derelict baths.
The council's Labour Cathaoirleach, Cllr Niamh Bhreathnach, has supported the plan, and urged residents to view it for themselves.
The €140 million plan includes an eight-storey building with 180 apartments over retail units and restaurants, an indoor swimming and leisure complex, and a maritime park on five acres of infilled seashore. The design also includes a 10-storey circular glass tower with a viewing platform, a plaza for open-air events and a promenade to link the Forty Foot and the East Pier.
Mr Gilmore said the apartment complex was out of character with the area and would dominate and effectively privatise the seafront. He also expressed doubts about the proposed infill.
"I remain to be convinced that an infill of this scale would not damage the local marine and coastal environment, and that it might not in the future become the site for further large-scale development," he said.
Cllr Bhreathnach said the plan had the potential to revitalise Dún Laoghaire. "It meets everyone's wish to replace the current derelict site with top-quality recreational facilities that will be open to all," she said.
"It presents a once in a lifetime opportunity to give Dún Laoghaire what it deserves; leisure and recreational amenities that would make the area a destination for locals and visitors alike."
