Comment: Investment in infrastructure should be the priority before major developments go ahead

In what could be one of the single largest planned residential projects in the State this year, an 850 home development has been approved for Dunboyne. The proposed development is earmarked for a 21.9 hectare site on lands adjacent to Dunboyne Railway Station with a cafe, medical unit, two retail units, a community room and two creches also planned on lands at Station Road and Old Navan Road.

Naturally, the news has been welcomed by local councillors who said it would provide “much needed housing for local families including a percentage of social and affordable homes.”

Cllr Maria Murphy said the additional housing is welcome and "will include social and affordable housing which is badly needed for our young people. The proposals also include two creches and a medical centre.” She pointed out that the land in question had been zoned residential since the railway project had been announced.

Cllr Caroline O'Reilly said it was very welcome to see so many new homes planned for Dunboyne where it is badly needed.

“There have been some concerns about density but with the construction of the distributor road and the development's proximity to the railway station, it won't increase congestion, but will take traffic away from the village.

You'd be forgiven for thinking there will be universal support for such a development, given the housing crisis the country resides in. However, the long-suffering residents of Dunboyne, those who have lived for years with an, at best, intermittent water supply may be less than enthusiastic with what potentially lies ahead.

Their plight was underlined in dramatic fashion when a major blaze ripped though Thornton's Recycling facility in Dunboyne last Thursday night. Several units of Meath Fire Service were in attendance to bring the fire under control but were hampered by tenders having to move further away from the fire scene to draw water to tackle the blaze.

Residents in Kilbreena and other nearby areas reportedly lost their water due to fire crews being forced to draw water from hydrants 1.5km away in the village as there was insufficient water pressure at nearby hydrants adjacent to the facility. Cllr O’Reilly stated that she asked in early March that the hydrants at Kilbreena be inspected and the fire service said they were not fit for purpose. Uisce Eireann on its own website has said it is “actively engaging with developers and developer representative bodies on an ongoing basis, but the volumes and complexities of connections are increasing year on year and we expect this trend to continue in line with Housing for All targets.”

Property company Lisney in its 2025 Housing report warned: “Infrastructural deficits in areas such as water, wastewater, drainage, electricity, and transport connections such as link roads and roundabouts, are having a major impact on the construction industry’s ability to deliver housing at scale.”

It is fantastic to see such ambitious housing projects like the one planned for Dunboyne but the investment in infrastructure, the boring stuff many of us take for granted, needs to be equally ambitious. The residents of Dunboyne, existing and those to come, need that assurance.