28th November 2002

PRESS RELEASE

NATIONAL SPATIAL STRATEGY LACKS TEETH – GREEN PARTY

The Green Party has expressed disappointment in the National Spatial Strategy saying that it  fails to invest in rail services, and is a road builders' charter.

“The Strategy envisages the downgrading and closure of rail services, and fails to provide a rail link between the Border Midlands and Western Regions”, stated Ciarán Cuffe TD, the Green Party’s Environment Spokesperson today. “It has fudge written all over it.

“It is disappointing that there is no firm commitment to introducing legislation or amending existing Development Plans”, he stated; “there is also a failure to tackle the serious problem of Climate Change that has contributed to the flooding of recent weeks.”

“There is a fudge on the issue of one-off housing, and it appears that suburban sprawl will continue around the greater Dublin area.

“We also are concerned that the Strategy may encourage ribbon development between Letterkenny and Derry, and between Mullingar, Tullamore and Athlone.”

“The Green Party that Ireland’s rail network should be used as a basis for informing the location of significant new development over the next twenty years, and this is not evident in the Strategy

ENDS

For further information contact:

Ciarán Cuffe, TD                                          087 265 2075 or 677 3372

Stephen Rawson, Press Officer                    087 235 7551 or 618 4088