Alliance has strong backing in bid to save Ards coastline and playground land

10.16.52am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 22nd Aug 2006

Strangford Alliance Assembly Member, Kieran McCarthy

Strangford Alliance Assembly Member, Kieran McCarthy, has welcomed the support he had during last night's public meeting in his bid to save key coastline and playground land from being sold to property developers by Ards Council. The public meeting took place in Portaferry last night and the room was full to capacity. The Council meets tomorrow night to debate the issue and a protest against the selloff has been proposed for the occasion.

The Ards Councillor said: "I would like to thank all those that came to the meeting in Portaferry last night to show their support for the bid to stop the Ards land sell off.

"I am glad that the meeting room was full to capacity last night. There was a very defiant atmosphere at the public meeting.

"There were a lot of young people there last night and a group of a dozen children aged four and upwards made a very poignant statement about wanting their playground to be saved.

The statement from the group of a dozen children from Portaferry was: "The children of Portaferry beg Ards Borough Councillors not to sell our small play area. We love our small play area, and if it is sold we have no place to play except the streets. Please do not sell our play area."

Kieran McCarthy said: "If the DUP and UUP Councillors that want to sell this land do not listen to the children of Portaferry, then they have hearts of stone.

"The selling of this public land could also jeopardise jobs, because the parks department at Ards Council currently maintains these pieces of land, and maintains them well. If the land was lost, then jobs in the parks department of the council may be under threat.

"There has been a severe lack of consultation on this issue, and many people have said that if I had not brought the matter to light, they would never have heard about it until it would have been too late to save the land.

"People are proposing to stage a protest against the selloff outside Ards Council offices tomorrow night, when the council meeting to debate the matter is taking place."

Kieran McCarthy concluded: "I demand that all Ards Councillors follow the will of the people on Wednesday night and stop this disgusting selloff."

ENDS