John Gormley

Some footage of the confrontation between John Gormley and Michael McDowell in Ranelagh has been posted to YouTube:

Statement by Green Party Chairman John Gormley TD:

“It now appears that Tánaiste Michael McDowell has pulled back from his headline grabbing statement in relation to the Poolbeg incinerator. Yesterday Mr. McDowell was quite emphatic when he said that the PDs would not agree in Government to finance the Poolbeg incinerator, effectively making this a pre-condition for Government.

“Today at a press conference he stated that the incinerator would have to be consistent with Government policy. As usual, this clarification will not get the same publicity as his previous statement. The fact is that Dick Roche has agreed that the Poolbeg plant is consistent with Government policy and Michael McDowell has had ample opportunity to stop this incinerator while sitting at the cabinet table.

“The Green Party put down a private members’ bill on the issue and the PDs voted it down. Michael McDowell at the last election implied that stopping the incinerator was a condition for Government. He’s trying to perform the same trick again. On this occasion, the voters in Dublin South East have wised up to his posturing.”

Green Party Chairman and Dublin South East TD John Gormley has accused Michael McDowell of opportunism on the issue of the proposed incinerator at Poolbeg.

Deputy Gormley said: “This latest election promise is a pathetic last gasp effort to regain credibility on the issue. People should see through this election gimmick. Stopping the incinerator was a central plank of Michael McDowell’s election campaign in 2002. He told voters that he would be best placed of all the candidates to stop the project as he would be sitting at the cabinet table and could change government policy. Once elected however, Minister McDowell forgot about that promise

“The record shows that the government voted down a Green Party motion to stop the incinerator. We have been very clear that in government this incinerator will not go ahead.

“I believe that the planning case against this incinerator is unanswerable. The site selection process was flawed, the traffic impact would be disastrous and, most importantly, there is no need for this massive facility. However, in the past we have seen cases where the An Bord Pleanála’s inspector recommended against the project on planning grounds, only to have this decision overturned by the Bord on the basis of ‘government policy’. This is what happened with the incinerator at Ringaskiddy, and more recently with the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road stadium.

“A recent independent report on waste management in Ireland found that our reliance on incineration is in fact a major impediment to meeting our targets under the EU Landfill Directive. This report, by leading European environmental consultants Eunomia, found that alternatives to incineration could be put in place more quickly and at less cost. We urgently need a change in Government policy, otherwise we will be lumbered with a collection of massive incinerators, which, in the words of Dr Dominic Hogg, the author of the Eunomia report, will ‘crowd out recycling options’.

I raised the issue of the smell from the Ringsend sewage treatment plant – which was bad in the third week of March - at a meeting with the City Manager on Friday last. Matt Twomey, the Assistant City Manager, insisted that the smell problem had been dealt with and that the tenders for the proposed extension were now being finalised. I know from my conversations with the engineers there that this is largely a capacity problem. The plant was actually running at full capacity when it was commissioned. Dick Roche has refused repeatedly to conduct an investigation into how such a fundamental error could occur. This is the same man who wanted an investigation into the Galway drinking water problem – although he seems to have gone quiet on the investigation idea over the weekend. An investigation would reveal a lot about the workings of his department and their role in the drinking water problem not just in Galway but elsewhere. Bad planning is the root cause of these problems, and our Minister for the Environment has allowed this laissez faire planning to continue in the country.

The real solution to the odour problem in Ringsend is to extend the existing plant and to build a series of smaller plants elsewhere in the city. As we have seen first-hand here, the mega engineering solution does not work. In fairness, I recall my former colleague, Cllr Claire Wheeler, making this point at the time.

I also raised the issue of the inadequate protection for the new playgrounds in Ringsend Park. The Manager promised that he would look into this.

Dublin City Council has decided to grant permission for the proposed development at the corner of Upper Leeson Street and Appian Way. As you may know, I joined residents in objecting to this development, on the grounds of its negative impact on the character of the area, traffic and road safety, and the loss of mature trees and green space.

There are a number of conditions attached to this decision, including a requirement to remove two floors of the proposed building, and you can download a copy of the full decision from the link below:

DCC decision on planning application at Leeson Street and Appian Way (TIFF format)

Dublin City Council has released this computer-generated view of the proposed incinerator at Poolbeg as part of their planning application to An Bord Pleanála:

People in the Ringsend and Irishtown are shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Alan Young on the weekend. I was only speaking to his sister, Paula, on Friday morning. She and her entire family have my deepest sympathy at this very difficult time.

I got a call yesterday morning from Dartmouth square residents about the latest activities of Mr O’Gara. He had set up a makeshift store to sell marble tiles. I cycled up to the square to investigate. One of Mr O’Gara’s colleagues was “pruning” a tree. When I enquired about this, Mr O’Gara said the branches were overhanging the path and that he was merely making it safe for pedestrians. A photographer appeared from the Irish Times. Residents had let me know that on this occasion they did not want to give Mr O’Gara the oxygen of publicity - so I decided to head home.

It’s clear that this is yet another try-on by Mr O’Gara. He’s hoping the arbitrator in the CPO process will give him a few bob for his “property”. How it ever got to this stage should be the subject of an investigation. He should never have been handed the keys to the park.

Green Party Chairman launches campaign in Dublin South East

Green Party Chairman John Gormley TD today launched his general election campaign in Dublin South East with a plea to party activists and voters to ensure that Fianna Fáil and the PDs are ousted from government.

“I know from speaking to delegates at our Convention last weekend that they want Fianna Fáil and the PDs out of government,” said Deputy Gormley. “There is an unquenchable thirst for change in the party.

“Bertie Ahern can’t quite decide whether he’s St Paul or St Augustine. Last year we had his Pauline conversion to socialism, but when it comes to the environment it’s a case of ‘make me green, but not yet Lord’.

“All his plans for the future are in the future. Yes, he’s going to tax SUVs – but after the election. He’s going to introduce smart metering – after the election. At least Bertie now knows what smart metering is. He has the lingo now. He can just about talk the talk. But where’s the action?

“At the last election Fianna Fáil said they had a lot done, but more to do. In relation to the environment they have nothing done and a hell of a lot to do. Look at Dick Roche’s attitude to the higher insulation standards agreed by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown council. Look at the poor recycling facilities in Dublin South East. Then there’s the problem of the sewage treatment plant, the litter in the canal and the proposed incinerator, which Minister McDowell falsely claimed had collapsed. Look at the failure to deal with graffiti and the poor bus services.”

Dublin City Council has decided to grant permission to the revised plans for development at Sandymount Castle Park. As you may know, I joined residents in objecting to this development, primarily for reasons of traffic and pedestrian safety.

There are a number of conditions attached to this decision, and you can dowload a copy of the full decision from the link below:

Dublin City Council decision on planning application at Sandymount Castle Park (TIFF format)