A Tree In Dublin

national | miscellaneous | news report Sunday November 10, 2002 18:39 by Tressa Tree

Update - written by Tressa Tree exclusively for Indymedia

Dublin Council has already felled 24 of 50 trees looking at the axe, the majority of them "needlessly so".

According to today's Sunday Independent, currently in their third week of a "Save the Trees Campaign", Dublin Council has already felled without warning or notice 24 of the 50 100 year old trees, and needlessly so. Allegedly the space occupied by the squatting trees was needed by sidewalk kiosks or shops and coffeestands. However, no applications for such kiosks have been made. The Independent also noted that the reason given for the trees removal by the council despite increasing protest is that "the old trees are just too big."

"Sculptures of Light"

The spokesperson for the council admitted to the Sunday Independent that the idea of creating "sculptures of light" was just another way of describing the ungainly gaps left by the removed trees.

One of the reasons given for destroying the trees is to allow one-time access for a crane in the construction of the steel 'Spire of Dublin'. It seems terrible that a city council would believe that allowing a crane temporary access to a short term construction site is more important that the value of 100 year old trees who are an intergral part of the city both historically and environmentally. The council admitted to the Sunday Independent that they had not even considered alternative ways to create access for the crane.

Anne Graham is reported as being willing to listen to public opinion, which seems to be heavily weighted against her and the rest of the council, but admits that at the end of the day, they are going to go ahead with their plan, despite what the public thinks.

The Sunday Tribune also carried a report in today's paper about the removal of the trees, and Marion Finucane has focussed her radio show on the issue as well. The issue has been raised in the Dail, with Bertie Ahern lining up with the Greens and Labour to criticise the Dublin Council's plans. The Green Party chained themselves to the trees last week to raise awareness of the issue; too late, it seems, for half of the trees which are now deadwood. They plan to chain themselves again to the trees before they are set to be felled.

See also:
http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=866993&issue_id=8316

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=36&si=867048&issue_id=8316