“What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet**”
With the week that’s in it, Roses appear an appropriate analogy to begin this post. The lines spoken by Juliet from the Capulet’s tower decry the labelling of Romeo, a Montague by name, a sweetheart still the same..
It’s something that often comes to mind in political discourse, rightly or wrongly different parties have been labelled in various ways over the years, with perhaps some justification at times, although I believe my own party, Fianna Fáil, is too broad a church to be conveniently stuck in a box with a definitive label on top.
To start with let me warmly welcome Minister Gormley’s publication this week of new proposals to enhance the building process. These mandate minimal requirements for future developments including green space, access to facilities, proper integrated planning and convenient location of amenities such as schools to be within walking or cycling distance. A utopian image one might say, yet an ideal I very much share (albeit augmented with some proposals of my own*).
In fact I placed a motion on the clár at the last Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis that “That this Ard-Fheis recognises the need for careful planning of residential areas, with provision made in high-density housing areas to ensure adequate parking facilities, sound-proofing, privacy and protection from anti-social behaviour. (Sallins Cumann, Kildare North)”
I proposed this at the Environment workshop and the motion was passed by a majority of delegates. These current guidelines, whilst emanating from the Green office, assume collective cabinet responsibility and by extension have the full backing of Fianna Fáil ministerial counsel.
Diverging briefly into the the area of Salmon conservation, another topic close to my own heart as a keen (but usually unsuccessful) angler, again I welcomed Minister Ryan’s announcements on the matter in recent months whole-heartedly. But it’s worth being aware this conservation initiative was instigated and championed by the previous Fianna Fáil incumbent in that department, and the policy was well underway when the new Minister took office.