On the eve of the bank holiday and centenary 1916 celebrations, a crew from South Dublin Council marched into Rathcoole village and cut down 5 healthy and magnificent 100 year old London Plane trees on the Main Street of this lovely little village, despite protestations from concerned residents.

An Taisce’s Vice-Chair Attracta Uí Bhroin explained:

“We were contacted yesterday evening amidst concerns the last remaining tree would be felled over the bank holiday. Calls to the Council fell on deaf ears. Sure enough the crew arrived at 8 am on Good Friday morning to a reception of brave residents up early and out to protect the tree. In a last effort to save it I contacted the Minister for Justice Francis Fitzgerald pleading for a stay of execution. Thankfully Minister Fitzgerald responded magnificently and contacted the CEO in South Dublin.”

Uí Bhroin continued:

“The crews then left but the question was would they stay away and why was such a horrendous act ever undertaken in the first place? The story we are hearing from the Council seems to change by the minute as we point out the associated process and legal failures with every latest version.”

An Taisce also contacted former Councillor and now TD Eoin Ó’Broin on Thursday evening who indicated he could get no response from the senior Council officials he contacted. We also wish to acknowledge his action this morning confirming works have now been suspended and that no further action will be taken until there is an investigation next week in the Council.

Uí Bhroin concluded:

“This isn’t over yet – there appears to be serious failures here and An Taisce will be pursuing this. The issue was compounded by the failures of the Council to respond to our and Citizens concerns and queries despite an apparent 24 hour service. All credit is due to the local people involved but what can bring back their trees? "

ENDS

Charles Stanley-Smith, Communications, An Taisce Tel: +353 87 241 1995
email: [email protected]
An Taisce The National Trust for Ireland
www.antaisce.org

Notes:

1. Image 'Local Heros by last Tree standing' https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxEVOTzgFnKELVV6N2ZiSUEyZFk/view?usp=sharing
2. Image 'Last Tree standing with Notice pleading for stay of Execution' https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxEVOTzgFnKEMkRGVXR4MTg0djg/view?usp=sharing