The Green Party have pledged their support to help local residents and business owners solve the problem of Dún Laoghaire’s vacant shop units following a successful public meeting in the Kingston Hotel last night (6 July 2010).

Over 180 residents and business owners attended the meeting held by Green Party TD for Dún Laoghaire Ciarán Cuffe and were shown presentations on how the town can be improved through planning, heritage, the arts, and supporting local businesses.

The Green Party has given its support to a campaign to save the green space at Newtownsmith and has asked the Council not to proceed with a scheme for car parking which will encroach on this space.

The Council plans to narrow the green to provide 15 additional parking spaces.

Green Party TD for Dún Laoghaire Ciarán Cuffe stated:

The Green Party has set out its vision for the future of Dún Laoghaire in a submission to the County Development Plan 2010-2016.

The submission calls for a new task force to revitalise Dún Laoghaire town centre, the County’s first ‘eco town’ at Cherrywood and improved public transport with a costal cycleway and an extended Luas to Bray.

The Green Party are also committed to safeguarding green belts in the County and are insisting that lands at Clontra and Airfield should be protected from development.