Save the O'Connell St Trees

Save the remaining London Plane Trees on O'Connell's Street.

In November 2002, as part of the redevelopment of O'Connell Street, Dublin City Council cut down more than 20 mature London Plane trees. Most of these trees were over 100 years old and were felled to make way for the Luas line and the Spire.

The Green Party opposed the removal of these trees and protested strongly to Dublin City Council that their removal was an act of unnecessary environmental destruction. With proper planning it would have been possible to keep the trees while redeveloping the city's main thoroughfare. Read Ciarán's letter to the newspapers explaining the Green Party's stance on the issue.

The fate of the 10 remaining trees.

Now Dublin City Council has published plans to fell the remaining 10 trees on the north of the street. This is despite the Dublin City Council voting in 2002 against the removal of any more of the trees.

These plans can be viewed at http://www.dublincity.ie/temporary/oconnell_phase2.htm. The Green Party strongly believes it is unnecessary to remove the remaining trees. Please make your views known. You can voice your opinion on the matter in writing to Mr. Paul Crowe, Administrator, O'Connell Street Integrated Area Plan, Dublin City Council Offices, 51-53 Sean MacDermott Street, Dublin 1 or by e-mail to paul.crowe@ dublincity.ie.

Ciarán Cuffe is a TD for the Dún Laoghaire Dáil Constituency. Ciarán can be contacted at Dáil Éireann, Kildare Street, Dublin 2 or 96 Patrick Street, Dún Laoghaire Tel. 284 6060 or 618 3082, Fax 618 4341, Email Ciaran CiaranCuffe.com