Cullen stands by ‘robbers’ comments

TRANSPORT Minister Martin Cullen last night strongly stood over his comments that people who legally challenge state infrastructure projects after their approval are robbing money from their fellow taxpayers.

Opposition spokespeople yesterday criticised his outspoken comments as “utterly improper” and “completely over the top”.

Mr Cullen made his contentious remarks after opening the final section of the M50 in South Dublin. It includes the section passing over the ruins of Carrickmines Castle, which became the subject of protracted court challenges.

“When independent assessments are made and projects are given the green light, I am not accepting of people then using the court systems to delay, delay and cost the state a fortune,” Mr Cullen told RTÉ.

“My point is they are robbing money out of the taxpayers’ pockets of this country unfairly.

“This is a democracy, when the decisions are taken by fair institutions and different bodies, we should accept them.

“We have a highly, independent, transparent statutory process in this country where all of these projects go to, everybody gets a fair hearing, everybody gets a chance to make their point,” he said.

“It is time that the very few, and it is the very few, causing massive hold-ups and robbing money out of taxpayers’ pockets in this country that could be well invested in other transport areas or indeed, many other areas of the economy, and it is time that it stopped.”

He went on to portray some of the court challenges as an abuse of democracy.

The Labour Party’s transport spokesperson, Roisín Shortall, accused the minister of launching the attack to distract attention from the huge costs and delays associated with the M50.

“People have a right to use the planning process that’s there, but only if there’s adequate consultation. Then you can bring the community along.”

In a defence of legal actions, she said: “The National Roads Authority and Rail Procurement Agency go off and do their own thing. It’s some time later when people find out about what is happening in their own area,” she said.

Eamon Ryan of the Green Party said that Ireland was a constitutional democracy and that gave citizens a right to have recourse to the legal system.

“I think it’s utterly improper for him to say that people should not have a right to take legal case.”