Press Release: Dún Laoghaire 28 October 2005

Links to: All Press Releases  2005  2004  2003  2002  2001  2000

Dún Laoghaire, Environment and Justice Press Releases

The Gloves are off over Dún laoghaire Baths!

Councillor Ireland, Leader of the Green Party Group on Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, continued to say that Councillor Bailey had attempted to portray himself as the saviour of Dun Laoghaire residents. 

 Councillor Ireland said  “nothing could be further from the truth. 

In fact the Council Cathaoirleach at the time, Councillor Níamh Bhreathnach, said that anyone voting against the plan was, quite simply, “insane”.

PRESS RELEASE 

28 October 2005 THE GLOVES ARE OFF!

Dún Laoghaire Green Party Councillor Kealin Ireland has said that she is furious at a statement issued recently by Fine Gael Councillor John Bailey saying that she and her Green Party colleagues on the Council had voted in favour of high-rise development proposals on the Dún Laoghaire Baths’ site.

“If Councillor Bailey had bothered to listen to the dogs on the streets, he would have known that I have campaigned for years with Save our Sea Front and Sandycove Residents Association against the high rise proposals. I have attended every rally which protested about the development and I have been guest speaker at several public meetings. Where was John Bailey then? Writing articles for local newspapers where he warmly welcomed the ten storey private apartments?”

Councillor Ireland, Leader of the Green Party Group on Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, continued to say that Councillor Bailey had attempted to portray himself as the saviour of Dun Laoghaire residents. She said that in a recent publication, he claimed to have “battled against the high rise element of the plan since it was first revealed to Councillors”.  Councillor Ireland said  “nothing could be further from the truth. Councillor Bailey warmly welcomed the development along with his Fine Gael and Labour colleagues. In fact the Council Cathaoirleach at the time, Councillor Níamh Bhreathnach, said that anyone voting against the plan was, quite simply, “insane”.

“The thought of Fine Gael rescuing the people of Dun Laoghaire from high rise development is too ludicrous to contemplate. Quite simply, it’s laughable” said Councillor Ireland.  “The only reason why high rise development in the Baths was proposed in the first place was because in 2003 Fine Gael removed all protection against height and scale from the South Dublin coastline. Prior to that, the area from Blackrock to Sandycove was protected against high-rise development. However, in March, 2003, Fine Gael’s Donal Marren and Olivia Mitchell (TD) proposed that this protection be removed. Without exception, they were supported by every Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and Labour Councillor present at that Council meeting.”

Councillor Ireland continued to say “if Councillor Bailey wants to rewrite history and portray himself as the man who saved the Baths, then it is up to voters to decide whether credibility has been stretched too far. However, if the only way he can save himself is to spread falsehoods about the Green Party and our role in the Save Our Seafront campaign, then that is quite a different matter. There is no room for these sort of tactics in local politics and we won’t tolerate them”.

The issue of the height and scale of development in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown county will be the subject of debate at Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Council meetings before the end of the year as it has been tabled as a motion for discussion. It promises to be a lively and contentious debate.

  Page last updated 28 October 2005