Green Party TD for Dún Laoghaire Ciarán Cuffe has welcomed the decision by An Bord Pleanála, which has ruled that the demolition of Carlisle Pier did not constitute 'exempted development' and therefore required planning permission. He has now sought an early meeting with the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company to urge them to rebuild the demolished nineteenth century railway building, which stood on the site until last year.

The historic buildings on Carlisle Pier dating from the nineteenth century were demolished in September of last year without planning permission. The Council and Harbour Company proceeded with the demolition on the grounds the works were 'exempted development'. Deputy Cuffe referred the matter to An Bord Pleanála in October of last year citing 2008 planning regulations that reduced the size of structures that could be demolished without planning permission to 100 square metres.

Green Party TD for Dún Laoghaire Ciarán Cuffe said

“I welcome An Board Pleanála decision which holds that the Harbour Company were not authorised to demolish the pier in the manner in which they did.

“Few would shed any tears for the removal of the newer 1960s building on the pier but beneath it was an old Victorian Railway building that was a part of Dún Laoghaire's heritage.

“I think independent semi state companies should adhere to the highest planning standards. I am disappointed that the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company demolished the building despite my writing to them stating that the demolition was illegal. They wiped away more than a century of our history and heritage, without asking the people of Dún Laoghaire for their opinion.

“I understand that much of the original building has been salvaged by the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company. I hope that they will now restore the nineteenth century Railway Building that stood intact on the site concealed underneath the twentieth century building.”