Category Archives: Climate Change / Athrú Aeráid

Green Councillors’ observations on DAA’s application for airport infrastructure and to lift the passenger cap

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The Green Councillors on Fingal made observations on DAA’s planning application. The main themes are

  • The application follows unauthorised development in removing contaminated soil and therefore has to include a retention application to be valid;
  • The application is inconsistent with the 1.5° target in the Paris Agreement;
  • Forecasts of passenger growth do not take account of climate action;
  • Noise impacts, especially at night;
  • Surface water at the airport should be managed to avoid downstream flooding;
  • Cycling infrastructure should be designed to maximise the quality of access to and past the airport;
  • Car parking at the airport should not be increased;
  • Soil contamination has not been adequately addressed in the application;
  • Night flights and their impact on human health, the subject of enforcement action and a separate planning application need to be addressed first.

Fingal County Council have sought further information on the application and DAA have 6 months to respond.

An Bord Pleanála refuses permission for demolition on sustainability and climate grounds

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David Healy, Green Party Councillor for Howth/Malahide on Fingal County Council, has welcomed the recent decision of An Bord Pleanála on a planning appeal for the demolition and replacement of a habitable house in Howth. 

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AIE request confirms that Iarnród Éireann hasn’t analysed the impact of a shuttle service from Howth Junction on local services

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I have received a response from Iarnród Éireann to an Access to Information on the Environment (AIE) request. The request sought the following:

  • Any analyses of potential operational patterns involving a shuttle service between Howth Junction and Howth, requiring passengers to change at Howth Junction to access Bayside, Sutton and Howth.
  • Any analyses of the time delays or reduced capacity of the network at Howth Junction caused by the current arrangement where northbound trains to Howth cross the southbound track from Malahide.
  • Any analyses of the time savings or increased capacity of the network should one or more Howthbound trains be replaced by a shuttle service.
  • A copy of the terms of reference for “studies which will examine the doubling of track capacity between Dublin’s Connolly and Malahide train stations, where DART and intercity traffic currently share the same tracks”, for which funding was awarded on 22nd June.
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Appeal in relation to Deer Park Hotel

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I have made a planning appeal in relation to the application to demolish and replace the Deer Park Hotel. I agree with the appropriateness of the existing hotel use and with the renovation of the hotel. The appeal focuses on three issues:

  • Sustainability assessment of demolition and reuse
  • Access and permeability by foot
  • Support for FIngal’s decision to refuse a large new access road
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Submission to Dart+ North Consultation

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My submission to Iarnród Éireann’s consultation on Dart+ North

It follows my previous observations.

Submission to draft Airport Local Area Plan and Development Plan Variation

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I made this submission to the public consultation on the draft Dublin Airport Local Area Plan and on the associated draft Variation to the County Development Plan. It refers back to my previous submission on the draft Local Area Plan and deals in particular with issues of climate change, noise, cycling access and water quality.

Response to public consultation on Fingal Climate Action Plan

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My brief response to the consultation on a draft Fingal Climate Action Plan  focussed on the importance of a more detailed public participation process for taking climate action to achieve the 40% reduction in emissions which is a target we signed up to in the Covenant of Mayors . I advocate a major focus by Fingal County Council on  actions to reduce transport emissions, as transport is the largest emission sector and one for which Fingal has significant influence.

The submission: Meeting the commitment to the Covenant of Mayors through a process of public participation

This will be coming back to the Council for final decision in either April or May.

Response to Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy consultation

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As a member of the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly, I was involved in drafting the Green Party submission to the consultation on the draft Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy. The submission is quite brief and contains recommendations in the following areas:

  • ensuring that effective sustainability indicators are used;
  • halting and reversing biodiversity loss in line with the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, including large-scale rewetting of peatlands and restoration of natural ecosystems including wetlands and woodlands across the region, taking account of the major social and economic benefits which could result;
  • ensuring the implementation of the Water Framework Directive through the planning system;
  • transitioning to the circular economy;
  • measuring the greenhouse gas emissions from the plan and ensuring it puts us on a path to a low -carbon economy
  • investing in walking and cycling, recognising their public health and environmental benefits
  • investing in public transport, in particular rail.