Greening our public spaces the best low cost solution to making our cities work, according to the leader of the Green Party.

Eamon Ryan said: "With the Government having abandoned new rail lines we will need to promote other sustainable transport systems if our cities are going to work. Bus transport, cycling and walking are the low cost solutions we should turn to. All we need is the political will to support sustainable traffic management systems which will bring back economic and social life back to our cities."

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He accused the Government of heading in the wrong direction and changing the planning laws would undermine the urban renewal cities need.

He continued: "We also have a unique opportunity to get a social dividend from a co-ordinated planning approach to the development of NAMA buildings and the land bank under its control. One of the greatest obstacles to good urban planning has been the dereliction that came from developers taking years to put together their land banks. The planning departments in each City Council should now be working with NAMA to get better urban development and in the process get a higher return for the taxpayer. Part of their plan should be to turn vacant lands into public parks and to put vacant buildings into public use. "

"We are preparing a submission to Dublin City Council on their draft plan and welcome any suggestions from the public on what we should include."

(CD/GK)