17th December 2003                                             

PRESS RELEASE

GREEN PARTY QUESTIONS DUN LAOGHAIRE RATHDOWN COUNCIL'S INFLEXIBILITY ON CARRICKMINES CASTLE

The Green Party has queried the decision by Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Council to proceed with works at the Carrickmines Castle site. The works are part of
the original plan to run the M50 motorway through the outer walls of Carrickmines Castle.  Meanwhile the Council has made major changes to a motorway junction at Lehaunstown, just a mile south of Carrickmines.

Last week, An Bord Pleanála held a public hearing on the Council's proposal to make significant alterations at the M50 junction at Lehaunstown, a mile further south of Carrickmines at the request of a developer (Cherrywood Science and Technology Limited).

"Why is the Council making changes at the request of a developer yet refusing to make changes to safeguard a medieval castle?" asked local Green Party TD Ciarán Cuffe. "The Council seems to bend over backwards to facilitate a commercial developer and is unwilling to even modify the Carrickmines junction in order to safeguard the castle.”

Deputy Cuffe said that “eighteen months ago the Green Party wrote to Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council requesting that they change the route of the motorway at Carrickmines”.  “They didn't even bother to reply.”

"I find it bizarre that the Council are completely redesigning the Lehaunstown junction at the behest of a developer, but are unable to prevent the proposed motorway from ploughing through the walls of Carrickmines Castle.”

"It is reported that EU Environment Commissioner, Margot Wallstrom, may withdraw funds from the project due to a flawed Environmental Impact Statement.   It now seems equally bizarre that the Council are prepared to proceed with the works prior to Ms. Wallstrom's final decision on the funding.”