9th October 2002

PRESS RELEASE

GREEN PARTY CALLS FOR REVIEW OF BURKE DECISIONS AND FOR SETTING UP OF NEW NATIONAL PLANNING BODY

In an amendment to the Government’s Motion on the Flood Report the Green Party is calling for a:

-Review  all significant decisions made by former Minister Ray Burke in his periods of office as Minister, and

-The setting up of a New National Planning Body to ensure that all Development Plans are sustainable.

“If Ray Bourke was a virus, he had the potential to infect the entire body politic.” Stated Deputy Ciarán Cuffe, “BugBourke and its consequences continue to this day. The Government’s Motion does nothing to undo the damage done by Ray Bourke. Communities and families are living with the consequences of his decisions.

“The Government must investigate and review decisions made by Ray Burke. It must also set up a new body to review Development Plans that are clearly unsustainable, where outrageous re-zonings took place for all the wrong reasons.

“The legacy of rezonings in and around Dublin is taking its tolls on peoples daily lives. Minister Smith called rezoning a debased currency, but he did nothing to remedy matters. And it is still happening. Who knows on what basis Minister Bourke made decisions, but they must now be reviewed. The Government must investigate and review all significant decisions made by former Minister Ray Burke.

“The political process, and the people of Ireland will continue to suffer unless justice is done.

ENDS