DECISION TO COLLAPSE BLESSINGTON DRAFT DEVELOPMENT PLAN IS DEEPLY CYNICAL SAYS DE BURCA

"What happenend at this week's meeting of the council was just a continuation of the very murky politics that has surrounded the whole issue of Glen Ding and Roadstones quarrying of the area" says councillor de Burca. "People are probably aware of the controversy that surrounded the sale of this land by the State to Roadstone over a decade ago and the legal actions that have been taken to prevent Wicklow County Council from excessive rezoning of the Glen Ding lands. This latest twist in the saga is even more incredible" she says. "This is the first time in Wicklow County Council's history that a Development Plan has been rejected in its entirety and it is particularly unususal that the motion to reject the plan came from the Fianna Fail Party and was supported by Fine Gael".

Councillor de Burca was also very critical of the "U-turn" that she claims the State Heritage agency, Duchas, made on the issue just prior to last Monday's meeting. "While the original advice of Duchas had been to maintain a 73.22 acre buffer zone at Glen Ding Woods, it changed its advice after discussions with Roadstone. Duchas recommended to councillors last Monday that a 35.93 acre buffer zone would be sufficient. This meant that over 35 acres of Roadstone's land could be rezoned for quarrying. Judging from the content of the letter we received from Duchas, it would appear that its most recent recommendation had the backing of the Minister for the Environment, Martin Cullen. Clearly Roadstone is a company that appears to be able to exert a considerable amount of political influence at the highest levels" she adds.

Councillor de Burca expressed her concern that a majority of councillors had refused to support the motion proposed by Labour Party councillor, Tommy Cullen, that the entire Glen Ding Area be protected as an amenity area and was particularly critical of the failure of local representatives Billy Timmins and Jim Ruttle to support the motion. "The Blessington Forum which is a broadbased group representing all of the interest groups in the town, including traders, business people and residents, had made a submission seeking the protection of the entire Glen Ding area and preventing any further rezoning for quarrying. I find it incredible that two local representatives would ignore the wishes that points out that in voting to reject the entire Development Plan for Blessington".

Councillor de Burca points out that one of the results of councillors rejecting the Draft Blessington Development Plan is that the motion submitted by councillor Tommy Cullen seeking to have all of the illegal waste at Blessington removed, was also rejected. "This has been a most cynical exercise by a majority of councillors on Wicklow County Council" she says. "Local democracy has been trampled on once again while the interests of Big Business have triumphed".

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