Council accused of sham over amenity order vote

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has decided, by a majority of just two votes, to initiate a Special Amenity Area Order (SAAO) for Killiney Hill. The decision, taken at an acrimonious meeting of the council's planning, development and tourism committee last night, resulted in councillors being accused of "attempting to create a travellersfree zone for rich people who can afford to pay millions of pounds for their homes".

Moving her motion to initiate the SAAO process in relation to Dalkey/Killiney Hill, Mrs Betty Coffey (FF) said the hill met all the criteria for a SAAO "in terms of outstanding natural beauty, the rarity and diversity of its wildlife and the need for conservation".

Mrs Coffey's motion was immediately opposed by Ms Jane Dillon Byrne (Labour) who said the SAAO process was being misused to ensure that a proposed halting site at Dalkey Quarry could not proceed.

"It is a sad reflection on this council if we respond to a well-heeled lobby group who can afford to pay millions of pounds for their houses and who don't want a travellers' halt anywhere near them.

"The truth is that Dalkey and Killiney Hill is under no threat whatsoever and I urge you to be strong and resist this lobby," she said.

Mr Denis O'Callaghan (DL) said that although he felt the plan for a halting site was unsuitable, "this pretence over the SAAO is not the way to go about debating the halting sites programme. "If this goes ahead, we will then see SAAO lobbyists campaigning for Bride's Glen, Druid's Glen and the logical conclusion is that anywhere you have a halt planned you will see a campaign for an SAAO."

Ms Olivia Mitchell (FG) added that "the truth is that Dalkey is not special. If the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren do not qualify for the SAAO can we really say that Dalkey Quarry does?"

It was, she felt a simple sham to defeat the halting site proposal.

She agreed with the view of other speakers "that this is to create a travellers-free zone for rich people who can afford to pay millions of pounds for their homes".

In an exchange between Ms Mitchell and Mrs Coffey, Mrs Coffey suggested that Ms Mitchell "had your own moves afoot when you were desperate to defeat the Blackglen Road [halting] site".

To this Ms Mitchell replied: "So you now admit this SAAO business is a move?"