GREEN'S CRITICAL OF FINE GAEL STANCE ON 'LOCALS ONLY' POLICY IN WICKLOW

"It is clear that Gay Mitchell has opportunistically leapt upon Wicklow's 'locals only' policy as a way of appealing to his Dublin constituency" says de Burca. " He also sees it as a chance to "have a go" at the Green Party" she says. "I find it incredible that a TD and former Minister can behave in such an irresponsible way in relation to one of the major environmental challenges facing the Eastern Region of this country".

The Green Party councillor claims that she has repeatedly asked Gay Mitchell to clarify Fine Gael's policy on urban sprawl, but that he has refused to respond. Instead, she claims that he has opted to try to whip up 'outrage and confusion' amongst the electorate. De Burca argues that Deputy Mitchell he is selling out on four of his Fine Gael colleagues on Wicklow County Council who voted to support the policy he is criticising.

De Burca has also questioned Deputy Billy Timmin's opposition to the policy as she claims the policy will guarantee a supply of housing to local people in Wicklow and will also reduce the price of housing.

"It is clear to me that the root cause of the problem of urban sprawl has been the willingness of successive Irish governments - which have included the Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour parties - to tolerate the enormous profiteering of developers from housebuilding" she says. "Recent Green Party research has indicated that a developer makes an average profit of 95,000 euros from a house selling at 207,000 euros".The Green Party councillor argues that many Dublin people are forced to buy houses in rural counties because they cannot afford the inflated prices being charged by developers in the Dublin Area.

"The Green Party has long called for a Windfall Tax to be implemented on newly zoned land, with some of the revenue gathered being redirected to local communities for spending on social and physical infrastructure" she says. "We have also called for an annual Site Value Tax to be paid by developers on zoned land which remains undeveloped. This would put an end to the situation where developers who wish to see the value of their land appreciate can choose not to develop zoned land in areas where there is an enormous demand for housing".

Councilllor de Burca claims that Gay Mitchell and Billy Timmins are supporting a completely "free-market" approach to the current housing problem. "If this is the kind of approach that the Fine Gael party in Government would offer Irish voters, is it any wonder that so many people claim that there is no genuine alternative to a Fianna Fail government" she asks.

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