BRAY HEAD PROTECTION BEING DELIBERATELY STALLED, SAYS DE BURCA

Wicklow County Council and Bray Town Council have each allocated £5,000 to securing the Bray Head SAAO. In addition, the committee responsible for a European-funded study of Bray Head as an amenity area, (the Sustainable Recreational Use of Natural Resources or SRUNA committee) have proposed that this £10,000 should be spent on the necessary first steps in securing the Bray Head SAAO. The SRUNA Committee has also offered to use the expertise it has gained during the SRUNA process to refine the overall plan for obtaining a Ministerial Order, to review other SAAOs, to meet others who has been involved with preparing an SAAO, to identify the content of the reports required and to identify professionals who would prepare reports and cost the reports.

"Both the money and the expertise are in place to begin this process immediately", said de Burca.

However councillor de Burca has argued that there seems to be an undue delay on the part of the local authorities in making the decision to spend the money on the necessary first stages of the SAAO process. "I have been informed that the Chairman of the Planning Special Policy Committee of Wicklow County Council, councillor Pat Vance, has proposed that yet another body be set up to examine the SRUNA Committee's proposals. Given the serious development pressures on Bray Head at present, the setting up of yet another quango must be strongly criticised. It appears that the overall SAAO process is being deliberately stalled" she says. "I am calling on councillor Vance to explain why he is stalling the process when the protection of the amenity area of Bray Head is such a priority for the people of Bray whom he is representing on Wicklow County Council" she said.

For further information please contact Deirdre de Burca on 086 8061450 or email deburca@wicklowgreens.org.