VIDEO: 'There does come a stage when the greater good has to prevail'

Getting the Dublin-Navan rail line built sooner than the mooted National Transport Authority timeline of 2030-2042 will depend on people acting for the "greater good" and not holding up the planning processes that can add years to major infrastructure projects.

That was the view of Taoiseach Micheál Martin as he stood on the disused platform of Navan train station yesterday (Monday) who added that he believed the project could be delivered quicker than the NTA draft strategy for the Greater Dublin Area suggested.

Flanked by Senator Shane Cassells and Minister Thomas Byrne during an early morning visit that saw him meet with members of the Navan business community and officially open a new housing scheme, the Taoiseach said he didn't believe the Dublin-Navan rail line inclusion in the report was in anyway aspirational and instead called it a “statement” and “commitment” his Government was determined to see implemented.

"I wouldn't call it a mention I'd call it a statement, a decision. It's a very significant statement in terms of a Navan rail line and in terms of a service here. Shane Cassells has been at this for quite some time, for over a decade campaigning for this.

The NTA strategy is a significant game changer in this respect. In terms of the planning stage, I know that Meath Co Council has done a lot of work in respect of this project. From our perspective, the issue now is getting delivery and getting the planning processes up and running as quickly as we possibly can.

"Very often construction can depend on how fast we get the planning done, because it's the planning that takes the lengthiest period getting all the consents, whatever is required in terms of potential CPOs, route selection and so on. That's the time lag in projects of this kind.

"We've initiated an overhaul of our planning system because there is a difficulty in Ireland and getting our projects done in a timely manner. As far as I'm concerned, If they come in early we fund them and get them off the ground. The issue we have as a country, is getting the projects developed quickly through the planning processes. There tends to be a lot of objections to projects at different stages as they are going through different processes. There does come a stage when the greater good has to prevail.

"The challenge will be getting those projects to the stage where they can be constructed. That is actually the challenge. All of us collectively has to focus in on that to allow projects to get through more quickly.

Senator Shane Cassells said "new life has been breathed back into restoring the rail line to Navan."

"The voice of the people can no longera be ignored due to the sheer volume of submissions (to the NTA public consultation process) received from Meath with 2,000 of the 4,000 respondents coming from the county," he stated.

“I was delighted to invite the Taoiseach to Meath to see for himself the old line and station and impress upon him the need for this line to get the backing it deserves and see delivery happen swiftly."

Minister Thomas Byrne said a lot of work has been taking place on planning for the rail line and believed the timeline could be accelerated.