Press Release: Dún Laoghaire 27 June 2006

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Dún Laoghaire, Environment and Justice Press Releases

27 June 2006

Green Party calls for review of plan to build Monkstown Ring Road

- As Bord Pleanála issue damning report on project
 

The Green Party today called on Dún Laoghaire / Rathdown Council to halt the proposed Monkstown relief road following damning criticism from a report by Bord Pleanala. Yesterday the Council approved the plan to build the road despite objections from a Bord Pleanala inspector.

Green Party Transport Spokesperson Eamon Ryan TD said: "Even if the Board overruled their own inspector to approve the project, no responsible council should ignore the comments of the inspector that it was an 'inappropriate form of development' which would 'not confer significant benefits to the community' and which would 'have significant adverse effects on the environment and on human beings'.

"Dun Laoghaire / Rathdown Council are currently preparing a new local area plan for the Stillorgan area whose central objective is the reduction of the volume of through traffic through the centre of Stillorgan village. The proposed Monkstown Relief road will do nothing but hinder this central objective - another reason why the road should be pulled even at this late stage.

Green Party Environment spokesperson Ciaran Cuffe TD said: "We have to ask why yet again Bord Pleanala are rubber stamping a roads project which their own inspector clearly indicates is contrary to proper planning and sustainable development. At least the logical arguments we presented against this development have been fully vindicated by the detailed examination of our evidence which was carried out by the inspector.

"The tragedy is that local communities are going to be torn apart by the flawed thinking which is behind this road. It makes no sense in transport terms in planning terms or even in terms of improving road safety. It is not too late for the council to read the Inspector's report and to realise that proceeding with the project makes no sense at all."
 

Click here to read more from Ciarán on the Monkstown Ring Road