O’Rourke fears rail line planning process could face delays with objections

The Government has been urged to progress the Navan Rail project through the planning stage as quickly as possible, in order to allow sufficient time to deal with the concerns of objectors.

Deputy Darren O'Rourke has made the call in the wake of recent comments by Baron Randal Dunsany where he expressed strong opposition to the proposed rail extension.

Deputy O'Rourke said: “The case for the extension of a rail service to Navan is made. It grows more compelling by the day as the population of the county grows and as the need to move to active and public transport become more apparent.

“The whole county will benefit from the project, not just those who commute on a daily basis. It has the potential to transform the county socially, economically and environmentally.

“I was concerned, then, to see the widespread media coverage of the signalled opposition to the project by one individual.

“We have a planning process. Everyone has a right to engage in that process on a fair and equal basis but we must be able to make decisions and make progress on major transport projects such as this without inordinate delay.”

Speaking of his opposition to the railway line, Baron Dunsany told The Pat Kenny Show “I’m prepared to go to Mountjoy to protect it.”

The railway line could go through part of the Baron’s Dunsany Estate which has been rewilded as a nature reserve.

Deputy O'Rourke recently raised the need for the Navan Rail project to move through planning as quickly as possible in the Dail stating that “in order to ensure that objections are considered and the project is delivered in the quickest possible time frame.

“In response, Minister Eamon Ryan acknowledged that planning takes an inordinate amount of time in Ireland and pointed to an ongoing “top-to-bottom” review of the planning system being conducted by the Attorney General.

He added that the associated review, updating and recalibrating of the Planning Act 2000 is one of the most important projects the Government has under way. “He confirmed that it will be completed by the end of the year and will help not just this project, but a whole range of projects, to get through the planning process more quickly.

“I welcome the Minister's response but it needs to be matched with action. At the current rate of funding and progress on Navan Rail, we will only start to consider these contentious planning issues in the latter half of this decade.”