Council to push through current Navan rail route

Meath County Council is to push ahead with plans to vary the Local Area Plans (LAPs) in the Dunshaughlin area to facilitate the planned Dublin-Navan rail link, despite strong opposition from some local councillors to the current route. There were angry scenes at Monday's meeting of Meath County Council when councillors from the Dunshaughlin area accused the county manager of "rolling over", "allowing the council to be bullied" and "selling out the council planners". Cllr Brian Fitzgerald urged the council not to show weakness and to support the planners who had indicated that the rail line should go to the east of Dunshaughlin. He expressed anger at the county manager's comments that a decision had been made to go west of Dunshaughlin and the council would have to work with it. "We will be a laughing stock in a few years' time when the railway line is far from where everyone lives," said Cllr Fitzgerald. Cllr Shane Cassells said the council had made its case, but the Department and Iarnrod Eireann had made their decision. He proposed that the council vary their LAPs to facilitate the current proposal. Cllr Nick Killian said he was delighted for the people of Navan, but he said it was an opportunity missed and he warned that people wouldn't walk from Dunshaughlin to a new railway station to the west of the town. "We have missed out and people will opt to go by road," he said. Cllr Killian added: "A lot of work went into this. The planners spelled out that east of Dunshaughlin was the best route." Cllr Killian said he thought the route would be opposed at Bord Pleanala level. Cllr Tommy Reilly said that if the council indicated it wasn't accepting the current route, there would never be a railway line to Navan. Cllr John Farrelly warned Iarnrod Eireann would love it if the council said it wasn't prepared to run with the current route and he warned against putting any obstacle in the way of the extension of the line from the new station at the M3 interchange as far as Navan. Cllr Joe Reilly said the rail line between Dublin and Navan was strategic, not just for Navan and Meath, but would, in time, be extended to the north-west and he warned that, with the economic forces out there at the moment, any excuse could be used to get out of the commitment to the line. Cllr Eoin Holmes suggested looking at the provision of a top-notch shuttle service to the nearest rail station from Dunshaughlin, as well as free parking. Cllr Eugene Cassidy warned that if they put a spanner in the works now, Iarnrod Eireann would find a reason to delay or divert the money elsewhere. The councillors were urged to stand united by Cllr Noel Leonard, who said he had supported the proposal to run the line east of Dunshaughlin, but warned that if they objected now, they could forget about ever riding a train to Navan. County manager Tom Dowling said a decision had been made and they had to be pragmatic and accept the things they cannot change. However, he was accused of "rolling over" by Cllr Fitzgerald who said he was taking a disgraceful position. "We are being sold a pup," he said, Cllr Regina Doherty said the route east of Dunshaughlin had been almost unanimous and asked what had changed now to allow the council be bullied. Cllr Niamh McGowan said it wouldn't be to the detriment of the county if they waited to see Iarnrod Eireann's sbumission before they did anything. Cllr Jimmy Fegan said he worked in the Department of Transport and warned councillors to be under no illusion that there was a high risk attached to any delay in the Navan rail link proposal.