John Gormley

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

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)

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.

Below is the text of the decision today by An Bord Pleanála to uphold the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) placed on Dartmouth Square by Dublin City Council: (more…)

Green Party Chairman and Dublin South East TD John Gormley has welcomed An Bord Pleanála’s decision today to confirm Dublin City Council’s compulsory purchase of Dartmouth Square.

Deputy Gormley said: “When the park was first closed by Noel O’Gara in January, I called on Dublin City Council to do everything in its power to re-open the square as a public park, including acquiring it under a Compulsory Purchase Order if necessary.”

“I am delighted to learn that An Bord Pleanála has now confirmed that the CPO is necessary to satisfy a community need, and that Mr O’Gara’s objection to the order cannot be sustained.”

“Mr O’Gara has tried to portray himself through the media as a harassed landowner holding out against the residents of the square who wish to keep the park for their own exclusive use. However, as I asserted in my submission to An Bord Pleanála, this park is an amenity for all residents in the area. Dublin South East has less public open space per capita than any other area of Dublin, and it would be unacceptable to see another park close to the public.”

“The compensation which Dublin City Council will have to pay Mr O’Gara has yet to be decided, but I hope that this process can be completed speedily so that the park can re-open without further delay.”

Statement by Green Party Chairman and TD for Dublin South East John Gormley:

“I attended Court today for the second time in relation to Dublin City Council’s injunction against Noel O’Gara, the controversial owner of Dartmouth Square in Dublin. Last week he stated in court that he wished to use tree-pruning machinery in the park. This is a euphemism for chainsaws and naturally causes concern for local residents. At this morning’s hearing Mr O’Gara stated that he wishes to question the constitutionality of the Planning Act 2000. Resolution of this particular dispute is therefore delayed for another week and won’t be fully resolved until the compulsory purchase order is fully approved. (more…)

The Minister for Justice , Equality and Law Reform Michael McDowell has personally intervened in the Dartmouth Square legal dispute in his Constituency in a manner that is prejudicial to the progress of current legal proceedings namely a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) and consequent valuation arbitration.

The Minister has circulated a letter on 6th. Sept 2006 to the residents of the area with regard to the Dartmouth Square CPO case. In referring to the current CPO proceedings by Dublin City Council against Noel O Gara who acquired the Square from the Darley Estate, the Minister has made an unprecedented personal judgement on the financial value of the Square in saying that :

“No matter what view you take of the value of the land in conformity with the Planning Acts ,it is clear to me that it must at least have the value of say, a commercially run tennis club . While I am reluctant to put a commercial price on such a use of the land, it can hardly be less than one hundred million euro and could well be multiples of that. I note than Mr O Gara is claiming a value of 175 million euro (which I think is absurd”) ”

The Minister has in effect behaved like an estate agent talking up the value of the land . The effect of the Ministers intervention means that Mr. O Gara could now demand a higher land value for the Square beyond that of Green space / passive open / amenity space in any arbitration after a CPO confirmation , or in negotiations with Dublin City Council.

While the intent of the Ministers letter was to criticise Dublin City Council and presumably score brownie points for his own great wisdom, the unintended effect of his intervention has been to assist Mr. O Gara in obtaining a higher value for the purchase of the Square.

Like Mr Bumble, (the self important parish official in Oliver Twist) The Minister for Justice , Equality and Law Reform Michael McDowell likes to think that he knows more about everything than anyone else.

Minister McDowell’s ill-judged intervention has done real harm to the public interest and played directly into the hands of Mr O’Gara.

The public would like more public spaces protected and more land acquired for public space. But this of course is not in keeping with the FF/PD agenda of giving developers and speculators as much latitude as possible

Reacting to news that Dublin City Council has begun legal proceedings against the developer Noel O’Gara, who yesterday attempted to turn Dartmouth Square in Dublin into a car park, Green Party Chairman John Gormley TD said:

“I welcome the fact that legal papers how now been served on Mr O’Gara and sincerely hope that he discontinues his greedy charade. I have also been informed that Dublin City Council intends to serve an injunction on him to cease his illegal activities in the park. It is quite clear that Mr O’Gara did not seek planning permission for any type of car park, nor has he any public liability insurance for vehicles parked in the area. (more…)

Click the photo above to see more images of today’s protest at Dartmouth Square.

The Green Party is supporting residents who have organised a protest at Dartmouth Squarein Ranelagh, Dublin, this morning, where developer Noel O’Gara has set up a car park in the public park.

Green Party Chairman John Gormley TD said: “I am quite shocked at the latest actions of Mr. O’Gara. It is clear that Mr O’Gara cares very little about Dartmouth Square and the local residents. He is simply interested in making as much money out of this development as possible.

“This latest episode, again, shows why we must establish definitively how this situation was allowed to come about. I will be at the park this morning assisting local residents and I have no doubt that in the long run Dartmouth Square will remain a public park.”

Dartmouth Square, a two acre public park has been maintained by Dublin City Council since 1987. In January of this year, Mr. Noel O’Gara locked up the park, claiming it was now privately owned. Today, he moved cars onto the lands where he intends to build a crèche, gym and car park for 600 cars.