Planning activist goes Green in local election bid

A COMMUNITY activist who has campaigned on planning issues in Cork plans to run for the Green party in the local elections.

Mick Murphy, who founded the pressure group, Communities for Sustainable Development, hopes to secure the party’s nomination to run as a candidate in the Cork South West ward next year.

Mr Murphy made the announcement after his decision to join the Green party was confirmed yesterday.

The Bishopstown-based activist said he is confident of winning a seat in the ward, which will go from a five to a six seater.

He ran unsuccessfully in the 2004 local elections but polled close to 500 first preference votes.

The 48-year-old motor engineer said he felt the Bishopstown area has suffered from “poor political representation” in recent years.

“Politicians are not properly highlighting the issues that need to be highlighted,” he said.

“My main concern is to ensure we have a better Bishopstown — to get a fair share of the funding cake, with better sustainable development and accountability from local government.”

Mr Murphy was a member of Fianna Fáil from the early 1980s until 1990. He said he decided to join the Green party because he believes in the party’s ethos, as well as its ability to give local representatives access to the highest levels of government.

Mr Murphy came to prominence just over four years ago when he began campaigning against a spate of high density apartment developments in the city’s western suburbs.