The Green Party has slammed proposals to cut down over 50 mature trees in the Fairview Park area in Dublin.

The party said the trees, which were planted in 1908, could be felled under Dublin City Council plans to make way for a cycling path.

Green Party Representative in Clontarf, Donna Cooney, said: "Dublin City Council need to listen to local residents, and sort out this situation. Over 80% of the submissions received by the Council during their consultation objected to the cutting down of the trees. The Dublin Central area committee voted to send the plan back to the drawing board, whereas the Dublin North Central committee voted in favour at their July meeting.

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"They are making a mess of this whole process. There are alternative designs which would allow the trees to remain in place, and would create a safer path for cyclists. The Dublin Cycling Campaign are even against the current design.

"These trees are over a century old and are of significant historical significance. Nationalist and Unionist communities came together in 1908 to plant these trees, and they would go on to inspire public policy around reforestation and tree planting in the country. The planting ceremony even made the front page of the Irish Times on Arbor Day in 1908. It would be a terrible mistake to cut them down."

(CD/LM)