3 August 2004

PRESS RELEASE

‘McDowell Bowl’ a recipe for disaster says Green Party

The Green Party has today criticised the Minister for Justice’s proposal to move Mountjoy Jail and the Central Mental Hospital out of Dublin city to isolated sites along the M50.

Green Party Justice spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe TD said today that, “McDowell’s proposal would place services far away from staff and visitors. It just doesn’t make sense to move institutional buildings out of Dublin to Greenfield sites in the open countryside, remote from the people that they serve. This would also lead to more cars clogging up the M50 motorway. Michael McDowell is repeating the mistake that Mr. Ahern made with the ‘Bertie Bowl’ proposal for Abbotstown.”

“McDowell’s proposal goes against the recommendations of the National Spatial Strategy published by the Government two years ago. That document recommended that the Government should consolidate rather than disperse such institutions.”

“Instead the Department of Justice should provide the money to refurbish and rebuild the existing buildings. The Office of Public Works has already produced draft plans for upgrading and rebuilding Mountjoy Prison on its existing site. McDowell should implement those plans.”

“McDowell and his Government colleagues appear to be obsessed with moving Government buildings and State institutions out of Dublin and selling off the lands to the highest bidder. Such an approach fails to recognise that many activities are located in the city because they are close to the people they serve.”

“A Thatcherite proposal that sells off such lands, and that values money over the quality of people’s lives is flawed and outdated. We are calling on McDowell to reverse his decision and keep these institutions closer and more accessible to people,” concluded Deputy Cuffe.

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, or Text Ciaran on 087 265 2075.