Emergency Motion Passed On Trees

Wednesday November 13, 2002 12:21

by Trees

The O'Connell Street trees have been granted a temporary reprieve

(Irish Times article posted below because it is a subscription site and because it elaborates on the motion to save the trees from removal. Don't see a point in re-writing it, please don't delete it from the wire as people here are interested in what is happening thank you)

City councillors secure reprieve for trees on O'Connell Street
By Róisín Ingle

The O'Connell Street trees have been granted a temporary reprieve after Dublin city councillors unanimously supported an emergency motion on the issue yesterday.

The central area committee responsible for the north inner city, which met yesterday in City Hall, was told by the assistant city manager, Mr Seán Carey, that the issue would be looked at again and that the council would be involved in any future decisions on the trees.

The motion tabled by Sinn Féin councillor, Mr Christy Burke, stated that due to the "unprecedented public demand for the retention of trees on O'Connell Street, this area committee directs the city manager to leave the number of 100- year-old trees there and include them in the regeneration planned for O'Connell Street."

The motion received unanimous support from the seven out of 10 members present. "The motion has real value in that it puts us right back to re-examining the [O'Connell Street rejuvenation\] plan . . . and the retention of the trees," Mr Carey said. "You will all be involved in whatever emerges."

The destruction of the mature London plane trees, which were standing during the 1916 Rising, has been widely debated in recent weeks with environmentalists, politicians and citizens of Dublin calling for their retention. It is expected one small tree will be felled as planned to make way for a crane which will be used to erect the Spire monument. However, no others are likely to be felled without consultation with councillors.

During the meeting, a row broke out between Mr Burke and Labour TD, Mr Joe Costello, who had tabled an almost identical notion.Mr Costello was "disgusted" that Mr Burke's motion had been taken first, effectively rendering his redundant.

Mr Costello accused Mr Burke of "sharp practice" and of orchestrating "the slimiest political move I have ever seen in my career". He said Mr Burke's motion was "despicable". "I've every right to table this motion," Mr Burke responded. "Cllr Costello doesn't own the trees."

After a few minutes of argument, Mr Costello's motion calling for "no further trees to be felled" was also tabled and passed with two in favour and five abstentions.